Life has many Walls, Ed-boys
by hank11796
Summary: The Son of a Shepherd has found himself in a heap of trouble now. Inexplicably, Rolf has found himself in a world of Titans, flying swordsmen, conspiracy, and mystery. Poppycock! Rolf has no time for this foolish flimflam, Rolf will show this world what it means to be the Son of a Shepherd!
1. Chapter 1

It was an early summer evening in one of the many cul-de-sacs of Peach Creek. Inside one of the many houses, a young foreign immigrant named Rolf was busy cleaning up his dinner dishes after a long day of work in his family's garden and farm. Sighing contentedly, he raised up one of the plates to examine it.

"Ah sparkling like Papa's washed backside." Rolf stated with satisfaction as he walked over to place the plate back in the cupboard with the others. Yawning and stretching his arms out, he looked out of the window at the farm he so proudly and diligently would watch over and help take care of. Satisfied that his long day of work is complete, he walked back towards his room, before slipping into his bed.

"Goodnight, family and home. Tomorrow begins another day of hard back-breaking work for Rolf. Such is the life of a Son of a Shepherd." Rolf said as he laid back, grinning. Eventually falling asleep.

As he snoozed, a couple houses down, someone else was similarly preparing for bed. Dusting off every nook and cranny in his room and making sure his pajamas were tidy Edd, or Double D to most who knew him, smiled as he looked down.

"Prepped and ready for a nice evening's rest if I do say so myself." Humming to himself as he makes his way towards his bed, Double D is suddenly startled and jumps in the air as a loud crash of thunder strikes, and he sees the flash from his bedroom window. Rushing over to it, he looks outside in the direction, seeing neither cloud nor rain from which it could've come from. However he saw a small trail of smoke that slowly dissipated a few houses down.

"Was that...Rolf's house?" He asked himself.

 **Chapter 1**

Rolf sat up groaning, rubbing his head. The Son of a Shepherd rubbed his head in confusion. He had fallen asleep from a long day's work, but for some reason he just woke up, as if he'd been forced awake.

"Papa, is it morning already? Rolf apologizes for-" He asked in a daze, feeling the sun on his skin. But something felt...wrong. Looking down, the young adolescent saw that he was sitting on some grass, and looking up he seemed on a grassy field with a few trees around here and there. Of course that's when he heard a lot of sounds that normally he wouldn't expect: yelling, screaming, crying, and a host of other loud shouts.

Standing up, Rolf brushed himself off. He was no longer in his pajamas, but his normal work and day clothes. This only served to confuse Rolf more, but this was hardly the strangest thing. Walking towards the sounds, Rolf scratched his head. "Where did this field of inadequate vegetation and barbaric shouting hail from? And why is Rolf here now?" He asked, before walking over a small hill crest.

Looking over, Rolf's eyes widened. "...Rolf's eyes surely jest, yes?" He asked, somewhat shaking as he did. For in front of him stood not only what looked like a bunch of farmers holding large pikes, axes, bows, or farmer's equipment, but in front of them stood creatures out of his Nana's worst stories. Large giant men. No, not men. They were completely naked, only they were missing any sort of features on their body's other than just their skin. Their faces were twisted in horribly misshapen expressions, large cruel smiles or angry glares, but they weren't changing, even as they were stabbed by the people with pikes ineffectively. But Rolf's eyes were dragged most horrifically to what happened to the few people who had been caught. Looking up at them, he could only watch as they were dragged helplessly to the giant's mouth, and then bitten in, as if they were nothing but a fresh pickled pigs foot.

Shaking himself, Rolf quickly jumped to his feet and started to rush away, along some of the others he noticed. There were lots of such people scattered about, as were these giants, but Rolf only focused on running.

"Shlaheeya! Mama! Papa! Wake Rolf from this nightmare Rolf's been consumed by!" He cried out, flailing his arms around, before crashing into something. Groaning, Rolf looked up to see he had run into the leg of one of those giants he'd been fleeing from. The giant, which couldn't be less than seven meters tall, looked back and down at Rolf. Rolf gulped slowly, feeling beads of sweat fall down his neck. "R-Rolf apologizes...please continue your fleshy snack, Rolf will just leave you as you were."

Rolf slowly took a few steps, but the giant lunged a hand for Rolf. Rolf cried out, and fell backwards, crawling away as the giant towered over him. Feeling something hit his arm, Rolf looked down and saw a regular axe laying on the ground, probably abandoned by one of the many fleeing farmers. Looking up Rolf saw the giant once again reach for him. Grabbing it, Rolf cried out and swung it as hard as he could. The axe easily sliced through the fingers pf the giant, making it unable to grab at Rolf. Looking down at Rolf than it's hand, the giant's expression didn't change in the slightest. Reaching up, Rolf desperately grabbed at the giant's hand, and with all of his strength yanked it over to the side. The giant was thrown to the side, skidding along the ground for a few feet. Rolf looked at it, catching his panicked breath, before realizing something.

"...Of course! Oh Rolf was such a scardy babycat for no reason! Clearly, Rolf is merely in happy dream land! Rolf's living one of his Great Nano's stories! Well, Rolf shall embrace the calling of his ancestors!" He said, grabbing the axe nearby. Now assured that he was merely in a dream, Rolf looked over at the hordes of giants swarming over the running people. "Rolf shall prepare a merciless beating, foul cravers of flesh from man!"

Rolf shouted out loud as he charged ahead towards the fearsome giants. Of course, it was at that moment when the giant he had tossed earlier pushed itself up and swung out an arm at Rolf. Rolf grinned and swung down the axe again, this time taking off the entire hand. Smirking, Rolf shook his hand at the beast.

"Ah ah ah! Rolf sees you have not learned your lesson! Well, Rolf shall make it quick and painless!" He shouted as he ran at the giant. The giant lunged its head at Rolf, trying to bite him. Rolf quickly grabbed ahold of the beast by the cheek and tossed its head to the side. Pushing up, the giant was able to stand back to its full height. Rolf looked over it, still grinning. "Oh hoh, still challenging the Son of a Shepherd? Rolf will end you mercilessly, like Papa on Nana's pantaloons!"

The giant swung down its hand, which Rolf didn't notice had already grown its fingers back from earlier. Rolf grinned and took a step back before grabbing the fingers himself and tugging them, once again forcing the giant down onto the ground. Looking over at the giant as it lay on the ground, he saw that it tried to slowly stand up. Rolf grinned and ran over. "Rolf shall end your flim flamdoodle!"

As he ran over, he leaped up onto it's back, before raising the axe high above his head, and with a mighty cry he swung it down, cleaving through the neck, slicing the head off. Panting a bit, Rolf stood up and grinned. "Rolf has vanquished the overgrown nudists of this country! Papa would be so proud." He jumped off the back, and looked at the others. "Fear not, for these sissy folklores are no mach for Rolf, Son of a-" Rolf was then interrupted by the headless giant behind him swinging its arms and crashing into Rolf's back, sending him flying. He crashed and rolled on the ground a bit, before smacking into a tree. Rolf groaned as he lay down limply. "Rolf would like a bandage..."

Unknown to Rolf, his actions had not been unseen. Among the group of fleeing farmers, a man in a uniform holding two strange sword sat on a horse. He'd been futilely trying to keep the people around him organized and not a panicked mess. However, he knew deep down he couldn't keep it up. These were just farmers sent out to fight and die. Even trained solders would panic at the sight of a Titan, what hope did these people have? However his eyes had been drawn to feeling a Titan crash on the ground. Looking over he was surprised to find a boy standing on top of a decapitated Titan, shouting out. However that's when he saw the boy get sent flying into a tree. His eyes widening, he quickly kicked his horse towards him, although he feared for the worst from such an impact. "Are they so desperate they're sending children to die too?!" He said darkly, before he arrived at Rolf. Jumping off his horse, he ran over to help. "Hey, are you alright?"

Rolf coughed up as he pushed himself up, groaning and rubbing his bruised face. "Rolf's keister aches with the pain worse than Papa's punishment, but Rolf should be fine." He said slowly, before his eyes widened. "...Wait, Rolf hurts?" He asked.

The wide-eyed soldier nodded incredulously. "Well of course you're hurt, you're lucky to be alive! Come on, we're retreating let's get you out of here." He picked up Rolf and ran over to his horse, getting up on it. Rolf groaned and looked back.

"But this confuses Rolf...how could Rolf feel that thrashing if Rolf is in happy night lala land?" He asked the soldier riding away, confused.

The solder looked back, slightly taken back by Rolf's...peculiar words. "You must've hit your head hard. No, this isn't a dream, and it'd be a mercy if this were a nightmare. This is as real as it gets." He stated, before focusing back ahead.

Rolf now confronted by this reality, which was reinforced by the stinging he felt all over his body, fell forward on the horse, barely gripping. He looked up at the soldier. "Where is Rolf?! Where is the cul-de-sac, where is Papa and Mama?! What are those giant monstrosities that plagued Rolf?!" He asked desperately.

The soldier looked back and shook his head. "Boy...you really seem confused. Come on, we're almost at the wall, some rest should help that memory." As he said that, he charged forward, and Rolf looked up to see what he meant.

Up ahead stood a massive wall, one that dwarfed anything the young Son of a Shepherd could even imagine. Looking around, he saw people and others on horses rushing forward towards it as well. Looking forward at the soldier, he now was able to get a better look at him. The strange swords on his hip were attached to some strange contraption machine. The man's uniform was different from anything he'd seen, but was clearly one. He wore a brown jacket with a shield and crossed swords behind a series of roses on it. Rolf was receiving far too much strange and conflicting information for his poor simple mind.

"...Where is Rolf?"

 **AN: So yeah, I decided to once again go against my own advice and write another fanfic while I have one currently in production. (Speaking of, don't worry I intend to continue _This'll be a Shell of a Day_ , just when I'm in the right mood for it.) I do apologize that it's quite a bit shorter than my normal chapters, but the introduction for this series is a bit more simple than my last fic and following chapters should be longer.**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoy my Attack on Titan and Ed, Edd 'n Eddy crossover.**

 **...**

 **Bet you didn't expect that to happen.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Rolf sat quietly on the back of the horse as the soldier rode towards the mighty wall. Looking up, Rolf was able to get a better look at his impromptu rescuer. His uniform was slightly torn with some dried up red liquid. One that Rolf instantly knew what it was and somehow, he doubted it came from a sheep or cow. The man had a tired look on his face, yet he was also clearly determined. He had short black hair and brown eyes, which were both caked in a thin layer of dust, something Rolf was quick to recognize as from a long while spent working.

"Well, to answer your question, since you seem to be suffering some memory loss, we're heading right back to the town of Trost. You should be safe in there. This whole plan was a total bust..." He said,t hat last word a murmur.

"Trost? Rolf does not recognize the name of such a land as that. Even then, Rolf is merely the Son of a Shepherd. Um...if Rolf may also ask...what were those giant naked purveyor's of the flesh?" Rolf asked the man.

Looking down as if Rolf had angry, wax covered lobsters crawling all over him, the soldier shook his head. "Man, you must've hit your head hard if you don't recognize a Titan. Which reminds me...what are you doing out here?" he questioned. "And how did you get on that Titan? Its head was still off, and there was no one nearby that could've done it by the time it regenerated at least partly."

"Rolf does not understand what doo dads you try to tell Rolf about regenerwhatsits. Rolf indeed beheaded it like preparation for nightly supper. This "Titan" was no tough namsy pansy that could match even a Sea Cucumber, so Rolf tossed it like Mama's dishwater." Rolf swallowed hard as he thought back to it...and what had almost happened. "Of course...Rolf was not aware that he was...awake..."

The soldier...tried his hardest to put together what exactly Rolf had even said, but he thought he got the gist of it. "It may be because I have no idea what you're saying, and if you could talk normally that'd be fantastic, but did you say you...tossed it? And beheaded it? You're what, twelve?" The soldier asked in disbelief.

"Did Rolf's words stutter? Rolf did as you said. Why would you question that?" Rolf asked, now himself a bit more confused then he already is.

"...Boy if it weren't for the fact I saw you get flung at least ten meters into a tree and only come out with some scrapes and bruises I wouldn't believe a word you said, and I find it hard to. This will certainly turn some heads." He said, as they returned to the gate of Trost.

* * *

The soldier, who would tell Rolf his name was Ben Fischer, returned to the waiting Rolf. They'd gotten into the city relatively easily thanks to Ben's status as a soldier. The soldier had left Rolf as he went to the managers of the refugees from beyond the wall about anyone in Rolf's family.

"I'm sorry Rolf, but we don't have anyone named "Yonnick" in our records. Are...you sure that's your name?" Ben had an idea that it was and what that meant for the poor boy.

"Must Rolf always repeat himself? Yes, that is the name Ralf's Papa was given by his Nano, and him by my Great Nano, and who gave it to Rolf." Rolf stated. He was not sure how he could've possibly been misunderstood.

"Well...I'm sure that they're out there looking for you somewhere." Ben said unable to bring himself to state what felt like the more likely answer for a lone boy found in Titan territory. Reaching up to scratch his head, he shook his head. "I think I might be able to set you up at one of the farm fields, at least for now. It'd be better than forcing you to beg on the streets, and you sure sound like you at least know what you're doing there..at least I think. I've never run into someone who can speak the same language as me and make me think it's foreign." He tossed something up in his hand.

"Still...for the time being, I was able to nab you this. Food's a bit tight, so I'd suggest making it last." He said, tossing Rolf a piece of bread. Rolf grabbed it and looked at the offering.

"Rolf certainly appreciates your piece of wimpy bread, but Rolf would request something hardier. Sea Cucumber, wiener, sausage, beets, cured, smoked, baked, and other assortments of mammalflesh." Rolf stated, putting his bread down in his lap.

"...I think you're asking for meat, I think, but if that's the case...hah. Yeah, I'll just spend my entire month's wages on a slice of ham for you." He said, before shaking his head. "Like I said, there's a major food shortage, and meat is hit the hardest. You'll be lucky if you come across a scrap of it."

At that, Rolf's eyes widened and he felt his heart begin to race. "...S-Surely you jest, yes? Rolf cannot abide on bread alone, Rolf requires the succulent flesh of the mammal to survive!" Rolf said, to which Ben shook his head.

"You're a shepherd right? The loss of these lands must've hit you hard then, but we've all got sacrifices to make." He said, looking back at Rolf.

* * *

To say those first few weeks were harsh was a severe understatement. While Rolf had been a farmer and knew how to live off the land, he still grew up in a comparatively cushy lifestyle. Guaranteed three meals a day, all of which had copious amounts of meat and seafood now reduced to the same amount of backbreaking work he was used to with maybe a loaf of bread a day. By the third day, he could hardly hold up his hoe and trowel, much to the irritation of his supervisors. Ben had to intervene, even slipping Rolf a small slice of meat to get him to listen.

 _For Rolf is not some weak in the spirit Jimmy-boy who buckles under a challenge! Rolf sees that somehow Mama and Papa are no longer around to provide nourishment to feed into his belly. Rolf may miss his delectable meats and bounty of the sea, but Rolf is not one to let something as mere as hunger stop him from doing his work!_

 _Rolf would continue to work on the farm, Rolf's upbringing and knowledge from his Shepherd Papa giving him an up on the soft handed buffoons who almost missed how to plant the mighty fruit of the earth with the pale wheat of bread. Rolf would find himself having to show these whimsical Marry Andrews how to properly be one with the Earth and the bounty she provided. It was little, but each bit Rolf could produce brought stinging joy to the Son of a Shepherd._

 _Rolf continued to see armed-to-the-teeth Ben on multiple occasions, especially later on as the sun raised and fell on Rolf's fields. Rolf would have to listen as Ben began suggesting Rolf be wasting his time digging in the dirt. The mockery! Rolf is proud of his work! Rolf is the Son of a Shepherd, and his role if not in the flocks was in the production of these bite size meals for the people to consume. Besides, Rolf is not meant to be a warrior, Rolf's place is here. Still...Rolf couldn't help but be reminded of Mama and Papa on nights that Rolf retired from the field. Sleep would sometimes elude Rolf as Rolf would miss the sweet bedtime soothing of Nana's deep snoring and Papa's nighttime humming. Rolf...misses his family dearly. Nevertheless, Rolf knows he's doing them proud, working hard in the fields as his Papa would have him._

 _Still, Rolf knows that much like these strange happenings of the body and mind that moved Rolf to this strange land, Rolf cannot always predict where Rolf is going._

* * *

Rolf was carrying a sack of the potatoes that he had harvested from his field to the market in Trost where he was tasked with bringing them. As Rolf approached the market, he couldn't help but look up at the massive wall that towered over everything. Even after several months of working hard in the fields, these massive walls still amazed him every time he saw them.

"Rolf still trembles at the sight of such craftsmanship. Ah, what a strong guardian the people have indeed." Rolf contemplated...until he felt himself bump into someone. Rolf almost had his bag slip, and the person he ran into grumbled.

"Hey, why don't you watch where you're going?!" Looking up, Rolf could see there were too men standing there, glaring back at Rolf. Worst of all, they wore the uniform of the military. And on their backs was the shield and crossed swords behind a green horse, and they held those strange guns Rolf saw on occasion. The Military Police.

Ben had warned Rolf about causing these people trouble, especially in these outer towns where they often "felt they didn't belong". "R-Rolf does apologize. He is merely the Son of a Shepherd, and did not see where he was going."

"Ugh, you know how much of this kinda crap we have to deal with?" He said, turning on Rolf. "We should be in the interior, not here on the borders with you people, this isn't what I signed up for. Although..." He smirked and looked at the bag. "I could cut you a deal. We'll forget about this in exchange for...half of your bag?"

"What? No, Rolf must deliver these fruits of the Earth to market. Rolf has been tasked with this, and will not fail. Rolf again apologizes, but Rolf must be on his way." Rolf tried to step around him, but the other man stood in front of him. "Hello? Rolf must be going this way."

"What kinda speak is that, are you stupid? We're in the Military Police, you should give those to us now." He said, reaching for the bag, which Rolf swing away.

"Why must Rolf repeat himself to everyone! No potatoes for you, potatoes for market!" Rolf said, clearly getting a bit agitated.

"You stupid little kid, you're really going to cause some trouble for yourself this way?!" The soldier grabbed Rolf's collar. And then he found himself grabbed by the boy, and swung up and over Rolf's back onto his own.

"Rolf said no. Potatoes are for market. Rolf will continue on."

"Ugh, what the..hey, you come back here!" The soldier got up and ran at Rolf, grabbing his shoulder to force him around. Only to get a fist to the face that sent him flying back a bit.

"Rolf has had enough of your tomfoolery, Rolf will not be late." As he turned back around, the other soldier growled and stood in front of him. He swung his own fist at Rolf, as hard as he could, to Rolf's face.

"Take that you little-" His eyes widened when he looked at how Rolf just took the punch and then smirked back up.

"Oh, is that all? Rolf thought you were some big shot strong manly man." Rolf said, before grabbing the soldier's shirt and pants with both of his arms, dropping the sack of potatoes. With a heave, he tossed the soldier back behind him and at a cart, smashing into it. "Rolf apologizes vendor!" Rolf waved at the stunned man, now with an unconscious Military Police man in his cart that had been tossed by a boy.

As Rolf grabbed his bag and decided to continue forward, the first Military Policeman couldn't believe what he saw or felt. Grimacing, he stood up and held out his musket. He held the barrel in his hand and charged after Rolf with it like a club. "You little freak, you think you can just do that to us?!" He said, swinging it at Rolf.

"Hello?" Rolf said turning around before getting smacked hard by the butt of the musket, sending him sprawling on the ground.

"Heh, how do you like that, punk?!" The soldier stated before Rolf slowly stood up, wiping his face. The soldier widened his eyes, as Rolf glared.

"Must Rolf beat some sense into that overgrown noodle you call a head?!" Rolf said, stepping to the confused soldier, before tearing the musket out of his hand and swinging it up, knocking the soldier into the air and back on the ground. After a moment, he just groaned and lay down, passing out. A small crowd had gathered, stunned at seeing two elite soldiers getting taken down by this child.

"Crawl back to your home, you dishonorable shams!" Rolf said, tossing the musket on the ground, before continuing on. As Rolf made his way, still a bit miffed by the altercation, he felt someone tap his shoulder. "Ugh, must Rolf continue with the thrashing?!" Turning around, Rolf saw that it was another soldier, only this time a familiar face.

"Ah, always serious in the face Ben! Rolf is always happy to see you here." Rolf said, smiling. "Rolf is sorry, but Rolf cannot stand by and chit-chat, Rolf is needed in the market, and Rolf is late as is."

"Rolf I...look, it kind of has to do with that. Look Rolf, I just watched that and...did you seriously just take out two Military Elites on your own?" He asked, shocked.

Rolf nodded. "Do your eyes fool your brain? Rolf showed those two scoundrels the thrashing that comes when one will not leave Rolf be. And they were merely sissy girly girls for Rolf's own muscles. Rolf is somewhat disappointed."

"Uh...well, you see...I don't think you realize just what you did. I mean, other than it not really being possible, you just assaulted to members of the Royal elite. You are in a lot of trouble."

"Trouble? Why would Rolf be in trouble? Those crows tried to pilfer Rolf's belongings entrusted by the farm hands in Rolf, merely for bumping into them. Surely they reaped what was planted by Rolf's own hands, yes?"

"Look...you don't get how things work around here. It doesn't matter what happened. Sure they might not say a word out of embarrassment, but if they do at all, you will be arrested. And no one will really care or be able to help you."

"...Surely you jest, yes?" Rolf said, slowly but still not fully grasping the reality of the situation.

"I wish I was that youthfully optimistic again. But no, that''s not what I'm doing. Look Rolf, I know you've said several times that you prefer being a farmer over a soldier. But other than you just proving that it's a waste of talent just now, I don't think you have a choice anymore! If you join, your talents will shine and make you untouchable but if you don't...you'll end up in a cell."

Rolf looked up at Ben, seeing the grim truth in his face. Rolf shook a bit, realizing now how much trouble he was in.

"B-But...Rolf is not a warrior. Rolf is merely the Son of a Shepherd! That's a higher cast than Rolf." Rolf said, somewhat desperately.

"You kidding? With your strength and ability to take a punch...I'm sure you could easily get into the Military Police. You'd never need to be put at risk. And, you'd have access to a lot more luxuries...including meat." Ben said. He knew he was essentially trying to trick a boy in trying to join the military. Before it was because he couldn't imagine that Rolf would choose a poorer life on the farms than as a soldier, but now? He was trying to help the poor boy.

 _Why are you so desperate to help him, anyways? He's a boy, yes, but you helped him enough getting him in the city and working on the farms._ Looking down at the young adolescent, he sighed softly and thought more on it. _Because, he's a lost boy with so much potential. I don't know for sure why, if it's his strength, his toughness, or just this fire I see in him but I know he's going to change things._

Rolf looked up. "...Fine. You have convinced Rolf to join. Rolf supposes if he will not be able to contribute on the farms anymore, Rolf may be able to help elsewhere."

* * *

The blazing sun beat down on the large group of recruits in the newly formed 104th Training Corp. Rolf had spent a lot of time in the Urban Rangers, having been the leader of the troop of daring task dooers, and was often looked up on in the International Urban Ranger Brotherhood. So when Rolf was given a uniform and was taught the standard salute he was to hold, Rolf found it incredibly easy. Standing in the fifth row, Rolf watched as he saw the drill sergeant walking down the row, yelling at some of the cadets. Rolf found it quite invigorating, once again being part of an organized group with a clear hierarchy of those above yelling at the mediocrity of he subordinates.

 _Ah, Rolf is reminded of his days yelling at Johnny the Wood Boy and sissy Jimmy._

As each row he passed turned about, the Sergeant eventually came over to him. "You, blue haired and stupid, what's your name?!"

Rolf was of course quick to respond. "Rolf is Rolf Yonick, loud in the vocal cord drill sergeant, sir!" Rolf said. The sergeant blinked a couple times, before shouting down at Rolf.

"Are you trying to make fun of me, or are you really that stupid?! Talk to me like a normal human being!"

"Rolf is speaking as the Son of a Shepherd always has, sir!" Rolf returned, not breaking the stare. However, he could feel the sweat begin to crawl down his neck as he felt the intense glare.

"Ah is that right, you little dirt napper?! You finally decided that plowing in the fields isn't enough for you?! Why are you here?!"

"Rolf is here to pay tribute to Rolf's Great Nano, and maybe make legends like him! Rolf wishes for the protection of Rolf's farm." Ben had suggested that Rolf not say the true reason, so instead to think of something more personal, some reason he'd consider joining if he didn't have to.

Still, upon saying it...Rolf felt that maybe he wouldn't be as regretful after all.

"Oh, something to prove in your past huh? Well isn't that just great, I'm sure you'll get to meet them soon with that attitude, Row Five about face!" He said, walking forward. Rolf did as he was ordered, sighing in relief when the sergeant walked on.

Rolf seems to have once again found himself in the way of a completely different destiny than expected.

* * *

 **AN: Boy...I cannot tell you all just how surprised I am to the reaction I received from Chapter 1. I am so glad that everyone's enjoying this so far. It surprised me so much I just couldn't stop myself from writing Chapter 2 immediately. Don't get used to this update speed by the way.**

 **Still, thank you for reading and I hope I continue to entertain you all with this story of Rolf in a world of Titans and Soldiers.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

As Rolf continued to watch Drill Sergeant Keith Shadis grill into the recruits, he kept his pose standing there, grinning somewhat as he knew to from his days in the Urban Rangers. In particular, Keith focused on one girl that was eating something during the hazing. Sure enough, this was not pleasing to him, and the girl was sent running.

Rolf is happy to see that the upper keepers of order are not with mercy in their dispensing of the duties.

With that done, Shadis made his way down the rest of the rows. After this process was finished, the recruits were dismissed, where they were to go and find their barracks where they'd be staying in. Rolf grinned as he arrived, changing out of his uniform and back into his regular clothing.

"Rolf's back hair tingles with anticipation for the many tasks and chores Rolf shall be assigned in the coming time, yes." The Son of a Shepherd said gleefully before exciting the barracks. The sun had begun to set, and as Rolf left, he saw that one girl from earlier, Sasha Blouse, still running. It was clear she was losing stamina, but she kept going.

"Rolf respects the efforts of she-who-eats-too-much girl." Rolf said, as he stepped out. In front of him were some of the other recruits: Armin Arlelt, Marco Bodt, Connie Springer, Mina Carolina, and one of the boys that wasn't hazed by the sergeant. Said boy was staring very intently out past Sasha.

"I can't believe anyone would rather pull plants than fight." He said in a dismissive tone.

Rolf walked behind the group and spoke up. "No nothings, do not mock the plant pickers. For their back and toil is the source of all of the greatest of all answers. Where would any of you be without the humble beet or the great potato, yes? Rolf knows of their ways, and Rolf assures you it is a noble task."

At that statement, the five who'd been conversing looked back at Rolf not expecting...well, this. The boy slowly spoke up, after a moment had passed where the five just stared at Rolf in utter confusion. "Uh...I suppose that's true, I just-"

"Still, Rolf supposes the warrior is of a higher cast than that of the Son of a Shepherd like Rolf's family." Rolf again interrupted, before looking at them. "Oh, of course, Rolf forgets he is not back home. I am Rolf, Son of a Shepherd." Rolf said introducing himself.

After yet another moment of looking back at the smiling boy, as well as looking between each other unsure of just...what to make of him, Mina was the first to speak up. "Uh, hello Rolf, I'm Mina Carolina. That's uh...a very interesting way of putting things."

"Ah, Rolf thanks you. Rolf knows that imparting the vast wisdom Rolf contains is important and that thos who hear are well endowed with his knowledge."

Next, the farm critic spoke up. "Uh...I'm Eren Jaeger. Nice to...meet you?"

"Ah yes, a fine name for you indeed, Eren-boy." Rolf nodded approvingly, before being properly introduced by the others. As they did so, Connie spoke up, still looking confused about what exactly Rolf was.

"So...where are you from, Rolf? You sure talk pretty differently." Connie said, bluntly. Fortunately for him, Rolf didn't pick up on that, even as Mina shot him a glare and both Eren and Armin shook their heads, while Marco sighed.

"Ah, Rolf is from Rolf's homeland! Rolf's family lived there as Rolf wasted away his days with youthful tomfoolery and lazy good for nothingness." Rolf grinned. "Rolf is not exactly sure where Rolf's home is now, though. Nothing in his strange place is the same from Rolf's homeland or new place in the cul-de-sac."

The others looked back at Rolf, before Eren tried to respond. "Um...yeah, I guess this wall must be pretty different...and in the military too."

"Yes, this is all far different from what Rolf is accustomed too. Yet oddly more so than Rolf's last place of residents, yes. The fields are a familiar spot as ever. Not enough beets, however. For the beet is the master of all of the plant life that is to be eaten." Rolf informed them, gracing the simpletons with his vast knowledge. Still, it seemed the Son of a Shepherd graced them with too much information, if their looks of confusion were anything to go by.

"So...past Wall Rose, got it." Connie said, shaking his head.

"That would be true, shiny-in-the-head-Connie. Rolf plowed Papa's fields beyond those mighty walls that tower over us daily." Rolf answered back.

As Rolf said that, the sun began to set, and the six decide to walk over to the mess hall. As they did, Marco spoke up. "Oh, I almost forgot to ask Eren. Where are you from?"

"Oh, same place as Armin, Shiganshina." Eren said. Everyone, but Rolf, turned to Eren, eyes wide. Connie, once again, took the opportunity to butt in.

"Oh, so does that mean you saw the Colossal one? The massive Titan?" He asked excitedly. Eren slowly nodded, and Rolf raised an eyebrow.

"Shinganshiwatsit? Rolf does not understand what is this Shinga you refer to." Rolf said, however he' been forgotten as everyone crowded around Eren. "...Was it something Rolf said?"

* * *

Rolf grumbled slightly as he ate at his soup. He'd sat at the same table as Eren after the boy got his food, and that had proven to be something of a mistake. The news that Eren was from this Shiganshina place served to form a crowd around the boy. And by extension, Rolf. It wasn't terrible and Rolf was able to keep eating, but it was an annoyance.

They were bumping past Rolf to get in closer to listen to Eren, as Rolf dipped his spoon in to bring to his mouth. People asking how big this "Colossal Titan" was, and what this "Armored Titan" looked like, and whatever. At one point, he was asked, "So, what were they like?" Eren froze up, dropping his spoon.

Everyone suddenly got quiet, and Rolf decided he could actually speak up. "Now then, that you've upset big-mouthed-Eren-boy, could you all leave him and Rolf and stop crowding over us like chickens at suppertime?" Rolf said, standing up to look at the others. However at that point Eren raised his hand.

"No, it's not like that." He said, taking a bite of his bread. "Those stupid Titans, they're not that big a deal."

"Rolf would have to agree with Eren-boy. These so-called Titans, are nothing more than a pest like the fleas that infest Victor's behind." Rolf added to Eren. After his brief moments of panic when everything was still confused, Rolf had a little time to think. And he remembered how he was able to bring down such a giant. Seeing Rolf back him up, Eren grinned more confidently.

"I'll soon be able to get my revenge on those monsters. After this, I'm joining the Survey Corp." Eren declared. However, across from him at another table, someone thought that Eren was full of it, that being Jean Kirstein.

"Hey are you crazy or something? Not that it's my business, but signing up for reconnaissance is a death sentence." Jean said, however his condescending smirk didn't make it out that he was saying this out of any concern for Eren.

Eren looked back, meeting his gaze. "I guess we'll see, or at least I will. You seem content hiding behind the interior with the MPs." At this point, Rolf sighed and looked as Eren and Jean started to go back and forth at it.

Ah yes, this reminds Rolf of the many flap-doodle between Kevin and Three-haired Ed-boy. Why must the lacking in stature always contain a big mouth and see to come to blows with others? Rolf thought as Eren and Jean, both of whom had gotten up and were ready to fight, were interrupted by the bell signaling bed time. Rolf sighed, but seeing everyone exit, he was able to sit down and finally, albeit quickly, eat his food while everyone else filed out.

As Rolf ate, he was able to catch Jean stammering and failing at talking to one of the girls as she walked out. Judging by the way he was blathering and sweating like one of the boys back home, he was into her.

Standing up and slurping the rest of his soup down, Rolf walked out and saw Jean staring out at the girl walking with Eren. And he was clenching his fist angrily. Rolf smirked as he wiped his fast and elbowed Jean in the side.

"Aw, poor head-over-heels pretty boy is feeling the spite of wanting what others possess, oh? Oh hoh hoh hoh, Rolf is always amused by the shenanigans of those in goo-goo ga-ga romance, yes!" Rolf chuckled as he walked past Jean.

* * *

The next day all of the cadets were awoken bright and early, the sun barely peaking over the wall. Some were fine, some were upset a bit at having to wake up this early. Rolf was, of course, in the former category. As he woke up and stretched, yawning, Rolf turned to those next to him.

"Oh hoh, bright and early fellow wee-roaches! Today Rolf is excited for the various tasks and doing hoods we shall be ordered to accomplish, yes?" Rolf grinned, leaping out of bed to go step into his uniform.

Next to him, Connie yawned as he got out of bed, looking over at the humming Rolf. "Ugh...why'd I choose the bed next to him? As if I'll understand him more in the morning..."

"Come on it's not...uh... _that_ bad..." Mina said, trying to encourage him even with her own clearly forced optimism.

As the trainees all dressed and marched out to the training field, Rolf saw the large contraptions behind Shadis. Rolf would cock his head in confusion if he weren't standing still in order for the instructor.

"It's aptitude time, so listen up! There is no place for you here if you cannot perform! Fail, and be shipped to the fields!" The sergeant barked out at everyone, before the rows each stepped forward to strap into the contraptions. Rolf leaned to his side and whispered in Connie's ear.

"Rolf apologizes for the intrusion, but Rolf must ask what is the doohickies we are getting into?" Rolf asked Connie, causing the boy to look over.

"What? Those are dummy Three Dimensional Moving Gears. They're testing us to see if we can even use them at all." Connie whispered.

"Oh good." Rolf said, before leaning back down. "What are these Three D whatchamacallits?"

"What? You don't know what 3D Moving Gear is?!" Connie asked, looking up.

"Cadet Springer, stay at attention!" Came the sharp voice of Shadis, causing the two boys to stiffen back up.

As the testing went on, soon Rolf was up. Walking up to the device, Rolf was strapped in. He'd been watching the others do it as well, so he had a slight idea of what to do. As the crank was rolled, Rolf was hoisted in the air. After squirming a bit to keep his balance, Rolf soon felt he had a pretty good sense of balance, even if he was a bit wobbly at it. The harness connected to his waist did a lot of the balance work, and it required Rolf's lower strength to hold him up, which meant on that end he was solid.

As Rolf was lowered down, the instructor nodded at him. "Excellent job there, dirt worker. Seems you're able to do the very basics despite your empty head." He said, before turning back. "Jaeger! What are you doing?!" The instructor yelled, before marching off. Rolf grinned.

"That was all? Rolf has accomplished more difficult tasks when Victor was sick in the middle of plowing the garden." Rolf said, before looking over and seeing Eren was hanging upside down as Shadis yelled at him. Some people crowded around to watch and barely hold back their laughs. "Ah, the time-honored mocking of those incapable. Yes, yes, Rolf remembers those fondly. Oh well, Rolf is finished."

"Come on Rolf, I mean you saw passionate Eren was last night, right? I mean, this must really hurt him..." Mina said, having finished and walking up next to him. Rolf shrugged and looked down at her.

"Rolf supposes, but the burning sense this feels will only drive Eren-boy's will further. Hmm...maybe if Rolf were to give him a massage with the skinned carcass of a mackerel?" Rolf thought, causing the girl to widen her eyes in disgust.

Aptitude testing took up the rest of the day, so Rolf walked by the other cadets who had also finished. As he did, Rolf was passed by a blonde girl with a sour look on her face.

"Oh, Rolf says hello!" Rolf said, waving, getting the girl's attention. "How did you perform at the doohicky testing? Rolf performed with the utmost skill the Son of a Shepherd could, like the baking of the mushrooms under the new moon for supper, yes?" Rolf said. The girl blinked a couple times just staring at the grinning boy, before turning away and walking off. "...Well goodbye, she-with-the-glare-of-a-hungry-weasel."

After this, Rolf walked over to Sasha. "So, big in the stomach and small in the wits Sasha-girl, tell Rolf, do you know where one could find any sorts of mammalian membranes?" Rolf asked her, which...understandably caught the girl by surprise.

"Uh...what? I mean...why would you need it?" She asked, confused. Rolf cocked his head.

"Why to make a celebratory stew or to create a blanket with which to massage the belly of those in need. Rolf cannot tell you how helpful the membrane of a yak is to clearing ones head before work..." Rolf said with a grin, as Sasha took the opportunity to become...busy. Elsewhere.

Rolf spent the majority of the day watching the other recruits for the most part succeed in the aptitude test. On occasion he'd try talking to some of the other recruits. He would get one of two reactions generally: sheer, utter confusion followed by them leaving Rolf, or some strange fascination that even they likely couldn't explain.

By the end of the day, as the sun set and cast an orange glow over the training yard, the cadets began to return to their bunks. Most had made it through, although some had failed and were to be sent to the fields. However, not every failure would give up.

"Rolf, please, you have to help me." Eren said, Armin at his side, as he met Rolf in his barracks. Rolf was currently straightening his bed out when he stopped and looked back.

"So, big mouthed Eren-boy seeks the guidance of the Son of a Shepherd, yes? To learn how to master the hook doohickies? Well too bad. No, go away, come again another day." Rolf muttered, walking back to his bed, putting his arms on it, as if he was about to climb on it.

"No, Rolf please! I need you to help me, I have to pass it!" Eren pleaded, before Rolf smiled and wrapped his arm around Eren.

"Oh hoh, Rolf pokes fun at you, small in the height Eren! Come, Rolf knows exactly how to help. Rolf will massage your temples with the pilfered skin and seat of a yak!" Rolf explained as he led Eren away.

Eren's eyes widened at that point, and he slipped out of Rolf's arms.

"Um...on second thought…I think I'll uh just practice some more. Yeah, tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll see if anyone else has some advice too." Eren turned around, before Rolf grabbed his shoulder.

"Why must Eren reject the yak? Rolf knows that the massage will clear one's mind, yes, allow for better focus. Come now!" Rolf said as he walked out of the door, humming to himself. Looking back, Rolf saw Eren was gone.

"...Well, Rolf tried. Eren cannot come boohooing to Rolf tomorrow." Rolf said as he returned to his bunk.

* * *

The next day started out similarly to the first. Everyone was woken up bright and early with Rolf jumping out and into his uniform with no problem. As the sun shone, Eren was given one more chance, and he eventually succeeded. Rolf didn't watch the incident, so he missed how Eren had done it, but Rolf had a feeling that his advice must've gotten through Eren eventually.

After this, the group of cadets were given their Maneuver Gear. Shadis walked among the recruits and spoke out loudly.

"Today we will begin your first real life use of your Vertical Maneuver Gear! We'll start out simple so you idiots don't accidentally kill yourself on the first day. Today is all about learning the controls of your gear as well as practicing how to move with them." Shadis yelled out, before directing everyone to the armory.

Rolf looked at the devices, an eyebrow raised as he held them. "How is one supposed to use this to fight those large Titan beasts?" Rolf asked himself, before being instructed how to put them on. However, he soon got his answer during the instructions. Went over the controls. Apparently, one used these devices to fire out wires and hooks to allow people to zip around the air, moving at incredible speeds and through the air.

Rolf, of course, was dumbfounded at the full nature of what he'd now signed up for. And after that, Rolf couldn't help but be both a little excited and intimidated by it.

Rolf finds such devices far too complex for that of the simple Son of a Shepherd, yet Rolf also knows he cannot back down now. Rolf is not someone who quits! Rolf thought as he was standing in front of a forest, Shadis sitting on a horse, looking out at everyone wearing their equipment.

"Like I said, we're to go easy today! As tempting as it might be, don't get in over your head and try to do anything fancy! At the speeds you're going, one wrong move will leave you with broken bones if you're lucky! As for the exercise, I want all of you to make it to the center of this forest. Use the trees to move around!" He said, before turning around. "Alright cadets, move out!" He yelled, before riding off into the forest.

Rolf looked at the handles he held. As the instructor told them, Rolf aimed his hips towards one of the trees and pulled the trigger. From the device a hook shot out and embedded itself into one of the trees. The zip-line soon rapidly yanked on Rolf, sending Rolf flying towards it.

"Aaah!" Rolf cried out, before swinging his body forward, and launching himself past the tree. Rolf noticed he was tightly holding the trigger, which pushed him forward with bursts of gas. Looking up, Rolf aimed with his other one, and fired, sending it and him flying. Rolf kept this up, looking around him at the other cadets doing the same thing. As he swung, Rolf soon began to get the hang of it.

"Heh, Rolf is doing it! Yes, the Son of a Shepherd is flying! Rolf will show everyone that Rolf can-" Rolf cried out, in victory...before smashing face first into a tree. Rolf crashed through said tree, and tumbled down, crying out in pain as he smashed through several branches. Bouncing off the ground, Rolf groaned as he looked up.

"...Rolf will lie down now." Rolf said, before laying back, closing his eyes.

* * *

 **AN: Initially I thought about combining this chapter and the next one into one larger chapter to get back into my usual longer styled chapters. But I think these earlier chapters are better suited with these shorter chapter lengths, and it gets more out faster so we can get to the good stuff.**

 **On a side note, I recently learned there is already a character in AoT named Rolf. Interesting.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Rolf groaned slowly as he sat up, feeling some bandages wrapped around his head as he sat up in the bed.

"Ugh...Mama, is the radish finished?" Rolf asked as he looked around. He saw Eren, Armin, Mikasa (hovering behind Eren of course), Connie, Mina, and Sasha standing around him. "...Hello fellow classmates of combat. Why do you hover over Rolf like a vulture preparing for the slaughter?"

"How did you do that?!" Connie shouted out, before getting an elbow to the gut by Sasha.

"He just got up, show a little consideration!" She said, before Mina turned to Rolf.

"Um, what he meant to say was...you took a pretty bad hit back during training so you were brought here."

"But the weird thing is that you didn't have any broken bones, just some bruises and cuts. What...how did that happen?" Eren interrupted, asking Rolf, who sat up straighter and looked at them.

"Rolf did? Well...Rolf sure has made a Mary Andrew out of himself, yes? Rolf knows not what to be saying. Rolf flew like an unclipped goose through the air, feeling the air flutter through his face like Mama's fresh clothing after a drying, when he next saw the brown oakwood smash into Rolf's cranium, then Rolf landed here."

"Um...right. The instructor thinks the tree must've been rotten, and that's why it fell when you hit it." Armin said, trying to decipher what exactly it was Rolf had said. "Actually, it's only been a little over an hour since you passed out. Training was temporarily put on hold for a bit, although we should probably be heading out."

"Oh good then! Rolf will show the instructor the merits of Rolf's fortitude and that Rolf may try again." But as he sat up, everyone stiffened a bit and raised their hands.

"Easy now, um...you're supposed to rest here in bed for the rest of the day, just in case something is wrong...well up here." Sasha said, tapping her head.

"...What? Wrong with Rolf's what? Speak plainly, she-who-eats-much." Rolf said, to which Connie sighed.

"Yeah...there was already something wrong with him there." Connie derisively said.

* * *

After that happened, Rolf was once again examined later that evening and to the surprise of everyone was perfectly fine and ready for more training the next day. And after the drill sergeant, Keith Shadis, almost literally beat the phrases "caution" and "restraint" into poor Rolf's head, soon he was getting better at his Vertical Maneuvering Gear. He wasn't a prodigy like some in the class, or even anything more than average. However, to pass the class, that was all that was required, especially at the start.

Of course, after training was when Rolf would try to chat with the others, and his odd speech pattern and his grandiose stories, he found himself sometimes with crowds.

"Under the cover of darkness we padded across the sea, in canoes made from our leather shoes!" Rolf said, standing on the table during one such dinner. Around him sat Eren, Armin, Mikasa, Sasha, Connie, Reiner, Bertholdt, and a host of several other cadets, watching with amusement. Across from the table Marco listened in as well, sitting next to the annoyed Jean. "From the depths arose a giant sea cucumber with one eye! Blinking and blinking, looking at Rolf like a sandwich!"

"Man...Rolf sure makes up the coolest stories." Mina said, grinning as she took a sip, with Connie chuckling.

"Yeah, and the strangest ones too." Connie said, before speaking up. "So then what, did that hairless otter stop by?" He asked, smirking.

Rolf looked down confused. "No, bald on the head Connie-boy, the hairless otter is but a myth from my homeland. Pay attention to Rolf please." Rolf said, before continuing.

Eventually, the nightly bell would ring, announcing the cadets that dinner was over and it was time to return to their bunks.

"Hey, night Rolf, can't wait to hear the rest tomorrow!" Mina said.

"Yeah, and it better be as satisfying a conclusion as you've been building up to." Reiner said with a grin as he passed by.

"Rolf shall see you two tomorrow, where Rolf's history shall reach the end!" Rolf said with a grin.

As Rolf put away his dishes, Rolf noticed Jean once again staring after Mikasa as she left. His fists gripped and he got up to put his dishes away. However, as he returned, Rolf slid beside him, wrapping his arm around Jean.

"Agh, what the-let me go!" He said, squirming and struggling.

"So, loud in the mouth Jeany-boy has fallen head over rump for pretty Mikasa-girl, yes?" Rolf smirked with a knowing glance.

"What the-no no n-no, that' not true...not at all." He said, turning to try and hide the slight shade of pink his cheeks took on.

"Worry not, for your obvious feelings cannot pull a shroud of the sharp eyes of the Son of a Shepherd! Come, Rolf knows the best way to impress a member of the females." Rolf said, dragging Jean along.

"Wait what? You do?" Jean asked, as he slowly went along.

"Oh of course Rolf has. Do not fret your head, Rolf will aid you." He said.

As Jean followed, he looked over to him. "Well...hey, why are you helping me out like this?"

"You remind Rolf of a companion from his former whereabouts. Also, Rolf has seen this happen before, and Rolf wishes to not once again get caught up in the merry roundabouts of those who lose all sense around the woman they desire." Rolf said, as he led Jean to the stables. "Come, let us get Simon."

"Wow...well, thanks Rolf. This uh...this is really appreciated. Wait, Simon?"

However, the next morning, Jean was standing with Rolf, his fists clenched. "Rolf...this is so stupid!"

"Do you not trust the wisdom the Son of a Shepherd is offering?" Rolf asked, as he gripped the reigns of Rolf's training horse that they were leading towards the barracks.

"You know, after your idea of "wooing" Mikasa, I feel it's safe to say, no I do not!" Jean said, before Rolf clamped his hands around Jean's mouth.

"Silence your hole of words, Rolf hears her! Here, take Simon!" He said, before yanking off the blanket from the horse, and forcing the reigns in Jean's hands, before running around the back of the barracks.

"R-Rolf, don't tell me you're-!"

"Ahem." Jean heard and turned around to see Mikasa staring at Jean and the horse. Jean swallowed hard.

"Um I uh...um I well...h-hello Mikasa, I-"

"Why is my named shaved into the fur of your horse?" Mikasa asked in a monotone.

Jean looked back and saw that that was indeed what was shaved into the side of the horse. "Um...well I thought it'd be uh...well I uh..." He stammered, trying to explain himself, before Mikasa just marched past him. "...Yeah."

At that moment, Rolf looked around the building and smiled, giving him a thumbs up. "Rolf told you it'd work!"

* * *

Training would continue harshly for the next two years, as they would learn how to survive and deal with harsh climates, as well as continue training in their gear. While Rolf would get some improvement with his gear, he was still a bit slower than some. However, the need for strength the gear required really helped propel Rolf to meet with his peers. During one such training session, there were numerous wooden Titan dummy's set up. Large planks in the shape of a Titan with a leather sack on the back as a target.

Rolf and the other classmates were zipping through the air, as Rolf had to keep his eye out for any of the "Titans". He gripped the weapons that were now attached to the gear: the twin detachable blades. Rolf gripped the two swords tightly as he fired off his 3DM Gear, augmenting the way he flew by kicking off the trees to keep him balanced and to get away when he got too close.

Up in the trees was Keith, in his own gear, watching and grading the various candidates. As he did, he made mental notes.

 _Mikasa Ackerman. Model cadet. Excels in everything. In fact, it'd be no overstatement to call the girl a genius._ He thought, before hearing a certain cry. _Of course, there is one candidate who is better than her in a few regards._ He added on, before turning and seeing Rolf kicking off a tree, looking at a spinning Titan dummy.

 _Rolf Yonnick. To call the boy an enigma is an understatement. While confusing and odd to his comrades, isn't much of a planner, and certainly isn't near the best at 3DM gear, his strength far surpasses anyone I've ever seen. He has a drive, to always excel at what he does, only beaten by Jaeger in that regard. He also is most surprisingly a talented leader, once you get past his phrasing. He takes the combat training almost like a veteran going through the motions. If I didn't now any better, then I'd think he's already a soldier._

As Rolf kicked off the tree branch, he launched himself at the target. As his blades sunk into the target, his strength pushed the blades incredibly deep. Falling to the ground, he fired up a hook at a nearby tree and looked back at his handiwork.

"Ah hah! Yes! Rolf knew he still had something from the goop drops of the Fusion minions!" Rolf exclaimed, happy he still hadn't gotten rusty, as he zipped away.

* * *

As the years in training had gone by, Rolf had noticed that, outside of their assigned duties, the cadets lacked discipline. They only gave their all on graded training assignments and anything else, such as hand to hand combat or general cleaning missions, they gave what little they could.

Rolf would not stand by and let this happened.

Which explained why very early one morning, before the morning alarms began, Rolf had assembled Marco, Mina, Sasha, Connie, Reiner, and Bertholdt.

"Okay Rolf...what was so important that you decided to wake us all up before dawn for?" Connie asked, with Sasha yawning next to him. Rolf was walking down the unorganized line like a drill sergeant, before standing still then turning to the others dramatically.

"Rolf has been tuning into the malpracticed laziness that plagues this military like the lice on Simon's hooves!" Rolf exclaimed, before leaning in to the surprised Connie's face. "Rolf shall not accept this! For now, Rolf believes it is time for the masters of the mundane to shake apart this camp, which is why Rolf has asked you all! Rolf has seen the drive, perseverance, strength, and, as Rolf has noticed most of all, need to prepare one's actions far better than necessary!"

"Um...Rolf, what exactly are you talking about?" Mina said with a yawn.

"Rolf seeks that our group shall assist in the mundane and the mastery of the chores presented alongside our combat improvements." Rolf said, grinning. An owl's hoot away from becoming freshly larva'd Urban Rangers, but Rolf cannot complain.

"Wait...so you want us to do extra chores or something as well as all of the back breaking training we're already doing? That doesn't make sense!" Reiner said, as Connie was dozing off while standing up...only to get a smack to the head via Sasha.

"If I have to be awake for this idiocy, so do you."

Rolf smiled and nodded at Reiner. "Rolf agrees, yes! For what better news to prepare to the upperups than if one were to show how dedicated one where to your work, yes?"

"Hmm...he's kinda got a point..." Marco said, which caused Connie to look over surprised.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you're actually thinking of listening to this garbage, are you?!" Connie said, to which Marco nodded.

"I mean, sure yeah. Imagine, sure doing your absolute hardest during chores won't actually make your grades for the final decisions any better, but it might make you look more favorable to the commanders." Marco said.

"Hmm...so kinda like bribing them with good deeds huh? I suppose that makes sense..." Reiner said, before looking back up to Rolf. "I guess you can count me in."

"Yeah, sure I suppose this is a pretty cool idea." Mina said with a tired smile.

"...Aw why not, if it's a better chance of getting into the MP, count me in too." Connie said, and soon the whole group had agreed.

During the next few days, Rolf had gotten busy with the group to get to work.

"Attention! Rolf has a list of assignments for this group!" Rolf said, as he looked at the group standing at his attention one day after training...while the rest of the cadets made sure they were visible to Keith.

"Sasha, Rolf was thinking of assigning you to potato peeling, but Rolf is not sure if Sasha could handle such a simple task." He said, to the quiet chuckling of those around her, to which she sighed and rolled her eyes. "So, Rolf found you and Mina could help with the clean up of Barracks C."

Affirming with that, Mina and Sasha ran over to there.

"Now then, cue ball Connie-boy and grinning with anticipation Marco can work on cleaning up the maneuver gear. If there is time, Rolf will send you and the two previous girly girls to help with the Mess Hall afterwards." They both saluted quickly and ran off there.

"Now then, built like a bull Reiner and lanky as a steed Bertholdt, Rolf sees from these that the horse stalls are still howdy messed from yesterday. Care to explain to Rolf?" Rolf asked, looking up at them.

"Uh, yeah we were doing it when we had that surprise drill in the middle, so we-"

"No excuses!" Rolf yelled, batting him on the head with the rolled up paper in his hands. "Rolf better not see such lazy pamper do from you two again! Stables, now!" As he saw them go off, Rolf grinned and marched away himself.

"Now, potato time for Rolf."

The rest of the cadets where quick to notice how handy Rolf's Rangers, as some had nicknamed them after something Rolf had muttered, in doing almost all of the chores and assignments on their own. This was also very much caught on by command, who were quick to take notice and surmise their reasoning.

Which is why they found themselves in Keith Shadis's office, with some of the other officers with him.

"I can't believe it, what we're getting in trouble for doing extra work now?" Reiner muttered under his breath, until the sergeant spoke up.

"I would like to commend you all for your behavior improvement the past couple of weeks. Not every group of cadets decides to make a complete 180 in their behavior and become some of the most active and helpful recruits we've ever had." He said, before leaning in. "Now I gotta wonder why?"

"Sir, Rolf and his fellow cadets wish only to provide the best of the best with our efforts, and to wash the mallet of laziness from this camp. Rolf thinks if Rolf can inspire more, Rolf will find the goat of labor to rush and plow the fields of our youth!" Rolf said, to which Keith saw that the others mainly nodded in agreement.

"I gotta say Rolf, I'm impressed by your resolve. Based on your history, I believe it too. But what's really got me is how you got some total screwups like cadets Springer and Blouse here." He said, leaning back, his tone that of one who didn't believe it. "Almost too hard to believe."

With that said, he did stand up and looked at the group and shook his head. "You know, I think I feel I should clarify how bribery is handled, as I never thought that was very well explained. I mean, while I have you hear and all." He said, before turning to look directly in their eyes.

"Bribery can be presented in many forms, most often thought of in the way of money or food or something like that. Services can also count." He said, looking hard at them.

"Services meant to make us go easy on you, or to say make yourself look better without actually improving in the field. Because of this doing well with say, I dunno let's say chores as a random example, won't actually improve your chances. Not officially or unofficially, we've been trained to weed out that kind of bias in our grading." The looks of disappointment and a hint of dread from all but Rolf of the recruits told him everything. "Thanks for stopping by. Dismissed!"

"I can't believe we wasted all of that time!" Connie said, once the recruits all left.

"Ugh, I wanna take an extra long nap now..." Sasha said as she groaned on her way away. Rolf followed the group, holding his papers.

"Come now, Rolf still has these chores for us to follow! Who will clean the latrine or feed the sows?" Rolf asked, however the group just ignored him.

* * *

Connie grunted as he landed on his back. "Ugh, hey come on, hey, what the He-OOF!" His cries were muffled as he felt Sasha land on his face, as Rolf wiped his hands.

"Come now, Rolf is surprised! Surely even two soldiers, as wimpy and weak ones such as yourselves, should be able to at least make Rolf break a sweat." Rolf said, a bit of a cocky grin on his face.

Connie pushed Sasha off and groaned. "Come on Rolf, why are you doing this to us! We were already practicing just fine on our own."

"Rolf disagrees, round head in square peg Connie-boy. Rolf saw you and Sasha-girl here frolicking and prancing all howdy-doo without practicing your moves. Besides, Rolf's first partner was no serious humdy hum." Rolf said, pointing back at the groaning body of Mina as she lay slumped on the ground.

"Well yeah." Sasha said, rubbing her head. "Look, hand to hand combat isn't even graded for our final performance, so why bother at all?"

"Why bother?" Rolf asked, walking over. "Surely you jest, yes? Rolf sees all opportunities and duties must be completed to the perfection as expected of ones elders, yes?"

As Rolf helped the two up, he brushed their pants off. "Alright, come hit Rolf again, yes? Only this time put in some effort, really hit Rolf." As Sasha groaned and bent down to pick up her wooden rifle and Connie got in a combat stance, suddenly they looked past Rolf. "...What? Is there something in Rolf's teeth?"

However, it was then that Rolf noticed that almost all the cadets were looking in the same direction. As Rolf followed their gaze, he noticed that in the center of the close quarters combat section Mikasa and Annie were facing each other. The trainees rushed around the two, chatting between each others, something about who would win. Sasha and Connie rushed past him.

"Woah, are they really going to go at it?" Connie asked, while Sasha said something about it being the big showdown. Rolf rolled his eyes.

"Come come, do not distract yourself from the vigilant work we have been tasked by our superior officers." Rolf said to his two punching bags.

"Come on Rolf, we'll let you beat us to a pulp again later, this may be a once in a lifetime showdown!" Connie said, keeping an eye on the soon to be ensuing brawl.

"Poppycock! Surely this bout of eggless hens squabbling over the last nest is not that much of an interest, yes? Come, we have important matters."

"Oh come on Rolf, these are the two best fighters in the entire class!" Then Connie smirked and looked back. "Say, if you're so confident at beating on us, why don't you get in there, huh?"

"Rolf will not sully himself, and Rolf will do as ordered. Besides, if they're anything like everyone else, they're no match for the Son of a Shepherd." Rolf said, before turning around.

However, as Rolf tried to find anyone to be his sparring partner, everyone was too busy watching Mikasa and Annie tumble and grapple each other, their combat drawing a lot of stares. Rolf looked at them, thinking back to what Connie said.

"...Well, if Rolf is to continue as assigned, Rolf should also fight the hens." Rolf said, marching forward, and walking past the crowd. As he did, everyone also began whispering about how amazing it was that Rolf, the strongest boy anyone of them knew, was also going to get involved. Rolf walked to the center, seeing Mikasa holding onto Annie, pushing her into the ground, yet Annie had her feet wrapped around Mikasa's throat, ready to try and fling her away. However, she didn't get the chance.

Rolf reached down and grabbed the fighting cats, giving the now surprised girls a confident smirk. "Surely this tango has room for Rolf, yes?" Rolf said. The two looked at him, and both swung a fist to connect to Rolf's face, forcing him to drop them, backing up. "Well...they hit Rolf."

The three formidable warriors glared at each other in a triangular shape. Annie was in a combat stance, arms raised, while Mikasa tensed her body, getting ready. Rolf was bouncing on his two feet, looking at the two. "Come now, we're not just going to stare and prance about like sheep in a flock, yes?" Rolf said, before charging at Annie. Annie backed up and threw a quick jab, once again hitting Rolf in the face. However, Rolf was prepared this time, and while it jolted his face, Rolf was able to swing his own fist, sending Annie down to her knees. Yet she wasn't the only opponent to worry about. Behind Rolf, Mikasa swung her legs, knocking the Son of a Shepherd onto his back.

Falling back, Rolf groaned and looked up to see Mikasa use her arms to block a kick by Annie. Rolf took the chance and shot up, grabbing Annie's leg and lifting her off the ground with it. Annie instead swung her other foot up, taking Rolf under the jaw. This sent Rolf back towards Mikasa, who leaped over Rolf, using his shoulders to vault over. She stretched out her legs and her foot landed right into Annie's stomach. However, Annie retaliated with a quick jab to Mikasa's face, sending her on her back. However, that bought Rolf enough recovery time to charge Annie, and grab ahold of her.

Annie struggled briefly, before getting an arm free. Grabbing the back of Rolf's head, she kicked him in the shin, and pulled back on him, sending him tumbling. As Rolf crashed to the ground, he looked up to see Mikasa back up and jabbing at Annie to get her on the defensive again.

"Rolf is impressed by Annie and Mikasa. They actually tickled the warrior bone within the Son of a Shepherd. Time to return it!" Rolf smirked, standing back up. During the Fusion War, he'd been surrounded by plenty of veteran warriors with more skill than himself. So, he would show these two girls what he showed them.

"Shleehaya!" Rolf shouted as he got up, charging back at the two engaging girls. Just as they heard, he reached towards Mikasa, grabbing her forehead from behind and threw her back, sending her tumbling on the ground. Annie wasn't fast enough to get out of the reach of the Son of a Shepherd. He grabbed onto her shoulder and lifted the blonde up, grabbing her thigh too. With this he lifted her up over his head and let go, sending her behind him and crashing onto the ground.

Looking back at the two, panting on the ground as they stood up, Rolf grinned. "Rolf admires the tenacity shared by you two! Even lacking in strong muscles, Rolf has not been challenged quite like this so far!"

"How...can he...keep going like this?" Mikasa panted, asking herself. "He's been taken down and out maneuvered...but he keeps getting back up with far more strength than either of us..."

Annie didn't bother answering, and just clenched her teeth and fists, and charged at Rolf. Rolf grinned and swung a fist, one that Annie easily ducked under, then came up with a jab to Rolf's face, then another, and another, then a swift series of violent jabs . Each one hitting home, knocking Rolf back a bit. Yet Rolf never folded, or crumpled. He was obviously getting hurt by it, judging by the bruises, cuts, and some of the blood coming from his mouth, yet he stayed standing. As she swung at one point, Rolf grabbed her arm, and picked her up, before throwing her right back at Mikasa, crumpling the two into a pile. Panting, Rolf then fell to his knees.

"Rolf...commends you...fine warriors..." He said, as the audience around the three stared in shock at the ordeal.

* * *

Soon, the final year in their training rolled around and finished. It was time for graduation, for the 104th Training Corp. Two Hundred of the initial recruits had made it this far without dropping out or getting kicked out, and these former children were now killing machines, trained in the art of war and death. In the graduation hall, commanders, trainers, and other overseers were in the grand hall as 190 of the cadets all stood in their rows, as their commanding officer stepped forward to speak.

"Do you have heart?!" He shouted, as all the former trainees saluted, responding with a "Sir!"

"As of this moment, you have three options open to you! Choose wisely!" He shouted for everyone to hear. "The Garrison Regiment, whose job is to reinforce the walls!" He shouted, as most students prepared for that, as the officer continued. "The Survey Corp, who rides out into Titan Country to take back what was once ours!" With that, he came up to the one most were anticipating. "And the MP Regiment, maintaining law and order under orders from his Royal Majesty!" Looking down at the row ahead of everyone else, the officer continued. "Those cadets eligible for the MP are ahead of you, everyone take a look! These are the top of your class!"

With that, everyone looked at the ten standing ahead, as the officer announced their names. "Ten, Sasha Blouse! Nine, Connie Springer! Eight, Marco Bodt! Seven, Jean Kirstein! Six, Eren Jaeger! Five, Annie Leonhart! Four, Bertholdt Hoover! Three, Reiner Braun! Two, Rolf Yonnick! And one, Mikasa Ackerman!" As he said that, the ten recruits stood proudly and at the ready.

 _Rolf is so proud! Oh if only Nana where here to see the accomplishments of the Son of a Shepherd!_ Rolf thought happily, keeping a grin on his face as he stood at attention, arms crossed smartly behind his back.

Later that night, there was a celebratory feast for the new recruits. In particular, the top ten were celebrating at having accomplished their goal, the vast majority excited for the easy and comfortable life being in the Military Police would be. Rolf was more excited at the prospect of finally getting that lovely meat, although he had to admit he would miss the back-breaking toil he'd been under for the past three years.

"Rolf congratulates all in the accomplishment of their graduation! And, to Rolf's surprise, that of his friends in the top of the pecking order!" Rolf said, wrapping his arms around a cheerful Sasha and Connie. Next to them, Mina grinned as she clapped her hands.

"I have to say, congratulations are in order! And even second for you Rolf! I mean, the only one above you was Mikasa, and after some of those stunts you pulled I can tell it was really close too!" She said, grinning as she took a drink.

Rolf chuckled as Connie and Sasha got out of his grip. "Yeah, no kidding! And to think, me in the top ten at all! And you too, Sasha! Let me tell you, us three will be the best squad in the MP, and we'll fully deserve it." He said.

Rolf nodded and looked back over to Mina. "Rolf is sorry you were not able to make it. Rolf told you more swigs of mackerel skin would strengthen your resolve."

"I uh...I'm good, still thanks. I mean,t he Garrison isn't too bad, hey it's possible we could even get the same or nearby districts. Would be great to meet up again after." She said with a smile.

"Rolf agrees, Rolf is glad to have most of Rolf's companions so close to heart!" Rolf said, pattingn Connie on the back, causing him to cough up the drink he was taking, to the amusement of Mina and Sasha, before walking around.

Meanwhile, as he walked around, drinking and eating whatever food he could get, he saw Eren had a small crowd around him. _What sort of tomfoolery is Eren once again found himself enraptured in?_

Rolf walked by and noticed they didn't have the most cheerful expressions on their faces. "What sort of grave as the bones serious talk is going on here? We should be making much with the merry-making and not of the serious discussion." It had been a long time since Rolf had been in any celebration, and these even felt...more familiar than the ones he had gone to at the cul-de-sac three years and earlier, setting him at ease.

One of the boys who'd been talking to Eren, Thomas if he remembered correctly, spoke in a shocked tone. "Can you believe Eren? He says he wants to join the Scouts, and not the MP!"

"Of course Rolf believes this, yes? Have you not seen the way intense in the eye Eren-boy speaks? He always is excited for the chance to send those Titans to their mothers." Rolf said, grinning and ruffling up the shorter boys hair. "How has this come as a shock to you, Rolf wonders."

"Just...why...it's insane!" He shouted, catching the hall's attention. Seeing everyone stare at him, Thomas doubled down and spoke up. "How many people have died? We're talking a fifth of the population. If that doesn't paint a picture for you, I don't know what will. This is our life now...we can't beat them." He said solemnly. Then, Rolf began to laugh and chuckle.

"Oh hoh hoh! Oh poor Thomas crying like a baby for his mama, yes? These Titans are as Eren said before, sure they're big but they're not too scary, yes." Rolf said, chuckling and shoving a piece of bread in his mouth as he walked away, getting some rather...bizarre looks. Eren began to say something, but Rolf had put it behind him.

"Still...Rolf supposes if everyone is as big scardy pants of these Titans...the that short in the stature but large in the brawn Eren-boy is pretty brave. Rolf commends him." Rolf said, downing the drink, before grinning. Tomorrow was his last day in training, and then he was back as an MP. He could get any meats he wanted (the thought causing his mouth to salivate) and he could punish any of those no-good thieves dressed in the uniform as he wanted without getting imprisoned.

"Rolf can't wait!"

* * *

 **AN: And with that, we conclude the training arc with Rolf getting to know his future comrades and a fight someone's been really looking forward too. Kinda short, but then again so was the arc in the anime and manga. And now with this, we can get into the meat of things...as I'm sure Rolf would enjoy, and hopefully longer chapters as well.**

 **Anyways, again thank you so much for the support, it's been incredible, and I hope you all keep enjoying it.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The next day was technically the first day of the graduating class's career in the military, but most saw it as the last day of training. After all, they wouldn't choose a regiment until later in the night and there was a tradition that graduating recruits would clean the cannons and the Wall. Of course this task wasn't the most glamorous of duties, so few of the cadets where happy about this.

"Put your back into it, good for nothing lazy bones! Why Rolf's papa would beat you with a shoe if he saw how lazy this work was!" Few.

Rolf was grinning and humming to himself as he hung off the side of the wall with his Maneuver Gear, humming a traditional song of his homeland as he scrubbed at some of the dirty spots while berating the "lazy" cadets who had the unfortunate displeasure of being assigned with him.

Rolf leaned back and looked up at the wall with a sigh, a soft smile on his face as he squeezed the cleaning tools in his hands.

"Ah, Rolf is reminded of the many overly complicated chores Rolf was happily assigned to. Nothing like a good chore to get the laziness beat out of Rolf with a rubber mallet, yes?" Rolf asked, looking around at the others. As he reached into the bucket he held in his hand he saw it was empty, so he zipped back up to the top of the Wall.

Looking at the new defenses, Rolf was reminded of how he heard that there was a lot of new defenses, including these new wall cannons. Rolf had to admire them, turning what would be like a cute toy train system into larger instruments of Titan death was seen as a far more worthwhile venture in his eyes. As Rolf walked over to get a refill, he could hear some of the others in charge of cleaning the cannons talking.

"What happened to the MP, that was your whole thing!" Eren said, looking shocked at Connie, who's back was turned as he knelt to clean a cannon.

"Don't worry about it, a guy's allowed to change his mind isn't he?" Connie said in annoyance.

Rolf raised an eyebrow as he walked by another cadet, Mina Carolina. "What is this flam doodle with Connie-boy?" Rolf asked the girl, who turned to Rolf. While at first almost everyone would often pause and wait in confusion almost every time Rolf spoke, after three years it became accepted without a thought...even if actually understanding him wasn't that much better, although Mina definitely tried the hardest to get him.

"Connie's decided on not joining the Military Police. I think Eren's speech last night really lit a fire under him." She said, before Connie looked back at the two.

"Shut up, Eren's little temper tantrum had nothing to do with it!" Connie shouted angrily, to which Rolf chuckled.

"Yes, Rolf is so sure that Eren-boy had nothing to do with it, huh bald in the head and mind Connie boy! Isn't that right, Mina?" Rolf said, before smacking her on the back with a chuckle, and causing the poor girl to stumble forward, wincing, as Rolf walked ahead.

"Hey, Rolf! I thought I asked you to not do that." She said, crossing her arms, causing Rolf to look confused for a moment then nodded.

"Ah, Rolf apologizes! Rolf just forgot is all, what with the Son of a Shepherd being used to acting that way with Rolf's comrades home and here." Rolf said.

She sighed, before being interrupted by Sasha slowly walking forward with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Hey, can you guys keep a secret?" Not waiting for a response, she opened up her jacket. "Cause I totally helped myself to the officer's pantry!" She said revealing a slab of meat, which understandably caused them to freak out. Well except Rolf, whose eyes were glued right on the delicacy he'd been denied for so long. As they tried to tell Sasha how stupid of an idea this was, Rolf could feel his stomach widen and belly growl, as his mouth watered a bit, before he shook his head.

"Yeah, do you have any idea how rare meat's been?" Mina said, which Rolf slowly nodded.

"Rolf is...very aware..." He said softly to no one in particular, as Sasha began to hide it in the cleaning supplies. At that moment, almost everyone in their group started chiming in how they'd like some. Rolf clenched his fists and swallowed before stepping forward.

"No! Ingrate fools, must Rolf slap some sense into your noggins?" Rolf said, looking back at them all, and stepping forward. "Sasha-girl, Rolf must ask you to return your stolen produce before Rolf...before...Rolf..." He said, looking down at it, feeling his heart race.

"C'mon man, don't be such a buzzkill!" Connie said, before Sasha nodded.

"Yeah Rolf, we know how much you like talking about meat, this is your chance!"

"Please Rolf, I'll even give you a bit of mine extra." Mina tried negotiating. Of course, their pleads and begs fell on deaf ears, until Rolf responded.

"Rolf shall have it on his own!" The meat deprived Son of a Shepherd had gone on too long without his former primary source of nourishment that something...snapped. Rushing towards the box, Rolf was licking his lips as he forced it open, and reached in to grab it.

"Hey, hands off! It's not yours!" Sasha yelled as she ran to him and tried to push him off. Rolf growled as he almost snapped at the meat to get even a single bite.

"Oh no..." Mina said, running to get Rolf, with Connie doing the same towards Sasha.

"Sasha, Rolf, c'mon you'll blow it!"

As the two struggled against their captors and each other for the prize, Eren, Thomas, and Samuel watched in amusement, the former walking to the edge of the wall.

However, their struggling and skirmishing was soon put to a halt, as it was at that moment fate saw to frown upon the cadets, and humanity as a whole. A bright green-yellow flash of lightning shot in front of the Wall, creating a loud boom that caught everyone's attention.

Rolf looked forward, seeing Sasha and Connie had turned to look, their eyes widened in horror, while he felt Mina slowly squeezing her hands in fear. Slowly looking to the side Rolf could see why. It was a Titan, but not just any Titan. This one was colossal, standing a full massive head above the wall, staring down at the puny cadets. Unlike the Titans Rolf saw three years ago, this one looked like it didn't have any skin to it, just muscle, tendons, and massive teeth. Rolf slowly dropped the meat he had held as he suddenly felt a hint of fear. He'd been able to beat a Titan a while ago, but it was much smaller and he still hadn't even killed it. But this?

 _What is the mere Son of a Shepherd to do against a leviathan such as-_

His thoughts where then interrupted by a powerful burst of incredibly hot steam sending Rolf flying back off the Wall. Rolf cried out as he was disoriented for a moment, seeing the world fly around, the buildings and sky rotating in his vision. Shaking his head, Rolf needed to clear it as he fell. Angling his body, he aimed himself at the Wall and fired off his hooks, skidding to a stop on the Wall. Panting, Rolf looked around. It looked like everyone was there, besides Samuel. Looking down he saw Samuel hanging by one of the hooks of Sasha, seemingly unconscious. That's when Rolf's eyes kept lowering and he saw something that even gripped his heart.

There was a hole in the Wall.

"They're gonna get in...they're gonna get in..." Connie muttered before suddenly yelling. "They're gonna get in!" He shouted out, snapping Rolf out of his own trance. Rolf looked up and gritted his hands. He'd been in hopeless situations before, and this was just like then, it had to be. Rolf raised his voice.

"Imbeciles! Listen to Rolf and get on up the Wall! We have a job to do!" Rolf shouted, as he saw Eren swing by him, yelling for them to join him and attack the infamous Colossal Titan. Rolf swung himself down to where Sasha was. "Rolf has Samuel, get up with Eren-boy." Rolf said, grabbing Samuel and taking the hook out of his thigh. Looking up, he had to nap his fingers to get her attention, before she scaled the wall. Hefting his comrade, Rolf shot himself back up the wall. Once he got there and set Samuel down, however, he saw that large, red, and skinless was...gone. Vanished in thin air. Pulling his own swords out, Rolf ran to join Thomas near the edge, looking down. All he could see was Eren hanging there.

"It vanished...I...how could I-" Eren started, before Rolf interrupted.

"Vanished? Then it is of no concern right now, hello goodbye. Right now we have much larger weeds to pluck." Rolf said, looking back down at the hole in the wall. That's when they heard another voice and whizzing of Maneuver Gear.

"Look alive!" A soldier from the Garrison said as he landed in front of them, the cadets standing at attention and saluting. "Operation: Colossal Titan Response is in effect, I expect you to take part!" The soldier said as two others arrived. "Report to HQ, if you got close to the thing we need details!" He said, before the soldiers ran off. Rolf realized he was actually about to do this, he was going to fight Titans.

* * *

The district of Trost was in a major panic. The alarm bells tolled, as Garrison troops tried to organize an evacuation from the district into the rest of Wall Rose. Meanwhile, the Advanced Garrison Squad was busy blocking up the hole with barbed nets and barricades while firing cannons at the Titans, before getting ready to engage. In the interior of the district sat a large building, which served as the headquarters of the military units within the district. Those Garrison soldiers not overseeing the evacuation or part of the Advanced Squad where here to organize and prepare to fight the Titans. The cadets in the district also found themselves here.

"Out of the frying pan and into the fire cadets!" Shouted the head sergeant as the cadets ran about trying to refill their gas and blades. "Time to put your training to work! I have faith you will be a credit to your regiment!"

As the various soldiers were busy focusing, or trying to comfort loved ones, Rolf went about holding onto his gear. He'd just been very quickly debriefed along the rest of the maintenance crew, and now he was getting ready. Rolf had filled up his gas, stocked his blades, and was walking outside to the meeting area, trying to take some calming breaths.

 _Rolf, calm your nerves and shivering. Stop shaking like Gertrude on egg collection day. Rolf has been taught the doohickies and how to's on mowing down this petulant flesh bitters! Rolf could take care of them three years ago, Rolf can do so more now!_ Rolf thought, as he stood in line, waiting for Captain Kitz Weilman's orders. The basic plan was that the interceptors would be in the vanguard closest to the breach, while the cadets would be led by the support squad in the middle to relay messages and resupply anyone who needs it. The elites were reserved to the rear guard and were tasked with protecting the civilians who still hadn't evacuated. However, as Rolf stood there and listened to the plan, the captain said something that almost made Rolf tremble in fear.

"I expect you all to man your posts, knowing the advanced team has been wiped out!" Rolf's eyes widened as he heard that, and he could hear fearful muttering between the rest of the recruits.

 _If that's true, than those vermin…_

"That's right! The outer gate is history, the Titans are in!" The captain said, confirming their fears. "This means the Armored Titan is likely to reappear! If and when he does, the inner gate will also be history!"

The worried chatter from the recruits continued, as Rolf looked to his side, seeing Connie and Mina's worried faces. Rolf leaned over to them. "Worry not...R-Rolf is sure that this will not happen, yes?" Rolf said, before he was interrupted.

"Quiet!" Once the chatter died down, the captain continued. "Those in the vanguard, be ready! The whole area is nice and saturated! Your mission is a very simple one: defend the Wall until the evacuation is done!" With that said, he turned his head down to glare at everyone. "Now be aware, desertion is punishable by execution! If it comes down to it, lay down your lives! Dismissed!" The captain warned, as everyone saluted, before hurrying to rush to their posts.

Rolf was among those, but as he ran he saw the earlier panic and fear had only intensified in the light of the true reality of the situation and their new orders to die if necessary. Some where panicking, some were praying and begging to not die, and some were so stressed they could only vomit and heave. As Rolf walked by them, he couldn't help but feel the dread permeate into him.

 _No, Rolf grasp ahold of the nerves that try to flee like a cowardly sow! The Son of a Shepherd has seen worse, yes yes, Rolf will make it out._

As said Son of a Shepherd walked forward, he saw Jean and Eren were once again about to come to blows. Rolf shook his head, a bit annoyed they were still at it, even now. He kept walking forward until he saw Connie, Mina, Thomas, Sasha, and a few other recruits talking and trying to not panic.

"Rolf sees you yes, surely we should be rushing to our positions, correct?" Rolf asked, when they looked up at him. Connie glared and shouted.

"How can you be so calm and confident, huh?! Are you really that messed up in the head?!" Connie said, before Mina got in front of him.

"Connie, stop! We're all worried, but has Rolf ever been one to panic?" Mina questioned.

"She's right, we would all serve better to try to not panic." Sasha said...even if her voice was starting to crack and her eyes betrayed the fear welling up in her That's when Rolf stepped up.

"Rolf understands the cowering in the boots feared by you all, yes? But if one scatters like sheep before a wolf, the Shepherd cannot save all, otherwise the wolf can easily steal from Rolf's flock!" Rolf said, trying out one of those metaphors used by his friends sometimes. "Rolf is a bit worried, but Rolf's ancestors shall protect him! We have the know-how and the ways of lopping away these vile zombie giants." While it was a bit hard to understand what he meant, the others where able to get the gist of it.

Mina nodded, and smiled softly, as Connie ran a hand over his face. "Look...I'm sorry Rolf, you're right. It's just...ugh, this is so frustrating! Why'd it have to happen now?!" Connie asked. It was at that point that one of the Garrison soldiers and a clearly annoyed Mikasa ran over to the group.

"Rolf Yonick? You're with me, you've been assigned to the rear guard on special orders with Cadet Ackerman here. And before you say anything, this is an order, we need as many elite soldiers to make sure the evacuation gets back on track." He said, before Mikasa and the soldier walked away.

"What? Oh come on, that's not fair now you're in the rear guard too?!" Connie groaned. Rolf had looked back at them, then at the others.

"Well...Rolf was not expecting such an honor." Rolf said, before turning away. "Rolf is sure you all will do alright, yes? Rolf must get going, as should you!"

The others nodded, before speaking up. "Hey, good luck Rolf, we'll all need it." Sasha said.

"Yeah Rolf, you better come back to us, I wanna hear more of your stories!" Mina added.

"And if you die without us despite being back there, I'll lose what last respect for you I had." Connie said, to which Rolf smiled and waved back.

"Rolf will be more alright than a pickled wiener in the pit of Rolf's gullet, worry not friends!" Rolf said, as he ran after Mikasa.

* * *

The elite garrison squadron was made up of various smaller squads that were stationed at various places all over the rear of the district. For the most part, their tasks ended up being finding straggling or lost civilians and pointing them in the right direction as the Titans where mostly still fighting against the Vanguard or even the Middle Guard. This was a task Rolf...was ill suited for.

"Must Rolf explain again, yes? Follow road signs down the merrier like the chicken to make the diagonal toss, and hop the barrel!" Rolf said, pointing down one of the roads. He had spotted a small family who seemed desperately lost.

"Please, soldier, just lead us there! I don't understand what you mean, and the Titans are getting closer!" The father said in a panic, as Rolf sighed.

"Titans being distracted and cut like wheatgrass, yes? Now, Rolf shall explain again-"

"Follow this road for three blocks, then make a right and go straight and you should be there." Came the voice of Rolf's squad leader as he landed next to the Son of a Shepherd.

"Thank you! Come along." He said to his family as they raced down the road. The leader looked over to Rolf and sighed.

"Look kid, how about if you see anyone, you tell anyone in the group and they'll handle it, okay?" He said.

"Sir, we have a Titan!" Came the voice of one of the elite Garrison soldiers in Rolf's squad. The two shot their hooks up onto the rooftops and zipped there. Rolf landed next to Mikasa as they saw one of the Titans slowly ambling towards the squad. The leader gripped his gear and turned to the squad.

"Alright everyone, this is our most important task! Seeing as it's just one, it probably was just lucky enough to slip past the two advanced groups, so don't lose your courage! Spread out and try to flank it! If it looks like it's going for you, try to keep its attention while we kill it, but don't take any unnecessary risks!" He said, as the squad leaped away, spreading out among the rooftops.

Rolf's head zipped towards the farthest right, swinging low below the rooftops, keeping an eye at the top of the Titan's head. He couldn't see anyone else, but he did hear them, so he knew he was still in formation. He looked up ahead once satisfied that he knew where he was going to see a massive palm slamming towards him.

Rolf gasped and swung his leg up, kicking the hand backwards as he quickly reversed his body to almost slam into a building across the way. Panting, Rolf looked up to see there was a smaller Titan, no higher than four meters tall. It must've also snuck by and had made its way under the cover of the rooftops. Rolf stared back at the Titan, who was peering back at him, with what looked like a permanent scowl on its face, gray eyes glaring back behind long black hair in a sort of bowl shape.

"So, it seems you thought you could tussle with Rolf, yes? Get a quick bite before moving on to the trough, yes? Sad that you chose this day to mess with the Son of a Shepherd!" Rolf boasted as he jumped off the wall he hung in front of and zipped towards the Titan. It reached down and grabbed onto Rolf's wire and yanked on it, pulling Rolf towards it. As Rolf landed on the Titan's arm, it looked down and leaned down quickly to try and bite Rolf off its arm. The farm boy smirked as it leaned down and reached his arm back before throwing all of his weight into this punch.

The fist collided with the Titan's jaw, and with a small boom, the Titan's head was knocked back with a sickening snapping sound as well as the Titan's jaw was snapped and dislocated, maybe even broken. When the Titan let go of Rolf's wire as it stumbled into the building behind it, Rolf leaped backwards, and shot towards its left, spinning in the air to face it. Once landed, Rolf grinned and shot towards it and swung his leg, connecting to the back of its head, knocking it forward. Seeing this, Rolf had a perfect view of this peering Titan's nape. Spinning again, he kicked off of the building and launched himself at it.

"Shlieyaheeyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Rolf screamed as he swung both blades at it, carving deep into its flesh, kicking off the neck and landing on the ground, turning back to see his handiwork. He grinned as the Titan fell with a groan, dead. Rolf leaped in the air, raising a hand. "Rolf has done it! Rolf has honored his ancestors and comrades!"

"Nice job Rolf!" Came the squad leader's voice above, causing Rolf to look up. "We didn't see this Titan, it was too small to see and must've made it back here as well." Came the voice of his Squad Leader who zipped down, landing there, seeing the corpse next to Rolf, having just missed Rolf's kill. Rolf shot up to stand next to him. "It's not easy surviving an ambush, let alone killing the one that did it. And for a cadet rookie as well."

Rolf smiled and saluted. "Rolf thanks you for this humble congratulations at Rolf's bidding, sir."

"Yeah yeah, but listen we still have that Titan to get. It's distracted, and we're waiting to lure it over here with the rest of us flanking." He said, pointing over to the Titan and one of the soldiers who was ahead of it and running to the squad. Rolf nodded, before hearing something else. Looking back, Rolf saw another Titan a fair bit away, but still visible. However, this blonde Titan was crawling along the rooftops, which Rolf immediately could tell the danger of.

"Sir, Rolf has spotted a beast over there acting stranger than his Great Nana when hungry!" Rolf said, pointing to it. The leader looked over and grimaced.

"An abnormal...it coulda gotten this far in any way. Fortunately, it looks like it's heading back in towards the middle. We shouldn't break formation to deal with it unless it comes back."

However, Rolf shook his head. "Sir, Rolf can easily handle these measly little things! You all can handle one of these together, Rolf shall go get it!" Without waiting, Rolf leaped off the building and zipped away, quickly losing his leader's angry shouts.

Grinning Rolf saw that it kept leaping faster and farther away.

"Yes, run little beast! For you shall face the thrashing of Rolf!"

* * *

Rolf landed across one of the rooftops, looking up at the sky. He'd been so focused on trying to find this Titan he hadn't noticed the clouds that came to cover the sky and could already tell it was going to start raining soon.

Grunting, Rolf leaped across and saw that his query was still gone.

"Poppycock!" Rolf shouted angrily as he stopped to take a breath. The Titan had been leaping across the buildings faster than Rolf could catch up, and at one point Rolf had missed a mark with his gear and fell to the ground. Then his wires had gotten tangled up, and by the time he finally got up on a roof, the Titan had vanished. However, not one to give up, Rolf kept running in the direction he thought it went, but by now it seems Rolf had missed it.

"Well...Rolf supposes he shall return to Rolf's squad, yes?" Rolf said, as he turned around...and realized he had no idea where he was. He hadn't been paying too much attention to where he was going, and that was when Rolf realized he'd been gone for a lot longer than expected.

"...Rolf shall get the sock of shame thrust upon his derriere. Rolf is sure of it." Rolf said dejectedly, deciding he'd just have to make his way back to the evacuation zone and find his squad once there. However, as Rolf leaped across a road to another rooftop, Rolf looked down and his eyes widened at what he saw.

Blood and a few body parts where laying there. Rolf's eyes widened as he gasped and stopped, looking down at them. Of course Rolf had known in his mind that not everyone in this battle was going to make it, this was a war and he knew how those things played out, but still...to actually see it. It was then Rolf heard a slight moaning on the other side of the roof.

Running over to it, Rolf saw a familiar face partially obscured by a small pile of broken roof tiles. Slowly struggling to sit up was Mina Carolina. Rolf ran over and began to push aside the tiles, and helping her up.

"Ah, Mina-girl are you alright? What could have happened to get you in this precarious situation?" Rolf asked, before looking around. "...And...where are your assigned squadmates?"

"Huh...R-Rolf..." She said softly, groaning as she rubbed her head, looking down and wincing. She had a trickle of blood running down her chin, and she could feel a sharp pain on her back and legs. Looking around, her eyes suddenly widened. "Rolf! I...w-what happened?!" She suddenly screamed and gripped her head.

"Huh? Mina-girl, Rolf was not sure what happened. Rolf was just in the rear guard, doing as Rolf must, when Rolf killed a Titan and followed but lost another one, then howdy do to you Mina is here but all alone." Rolf said, confused.

"I...oh my..." She said, shaking a bit. "I...w-we were here...when a Titan came and...and it...oh it...Thomas..."

"Thomas? Rolf is confused a Titan-" That's when Rolf suddenly understood. The blood, the body parts. It all meant one thing.

"...What...happened?" Rolf asked slowly, suddenly aware of why she was panicking.

"I...we all just froze up...except Eren. He led us in a charge when...they came from everywhere. A Titan bit off Eren's leg...then Nack and Milieus were next to..." She shook. "Me and Armin just...froze. Another Titan came for him and was put him in his mouth. I...I tried to save Armin, but the Titan just...swung its palm at me and...I-I can't remember next..." She said slowly, tears beginning to well up.

Rolf's eyes were equally wide as he heard this. "E-Eren-boy? Armin?" Rolf asked, shaking a bit. "No...surely you jest Mina. I-I mean...Eren was always so happy and anger with Titan killing he couldn't have..." But Rolf's voice faltered as he saw the look in Mina's eyes.

"Why...why did I cower and do nothing until it was too late?!" She suddenly screamed, leaning down. "And why couldn't I save anyone?! I was too weak, I...I was..." Suddenly she felt a stinging smack on her cheek as Rolf returned his hand to his side.

"Rolf will not hear anymore self-pity boo-hooing!" Rolf declared, looking back. "Rolf must return and so shall you, yes? Can you go or must Rolf carry you like a sickly lamb?" Rolf asked, her eyes still a bit surprised from that.

"Um...I-I think...I think I can handle it." She said slowly getting up. Rolf nodded and leaped off the building and started to fly away, Mina close behind him. As the two flew away, Rolf made sure to keep an eye out, and this time couldn't help but notice the bloody stains on the ground and the occasional part as well.

 _How...how could Rolf miss this?_ Rolf thought in horror. _How could Rolf miss the problems going on while his friends were in more danger?_

As the two zipped along, Rolf looked over and saw a large number of soldiers on a group of buildings. "What is this? Ah, salvation! Come, follow Rolf!" Rolf shouted back at Mina and the two maneuvered over to the group.

"Hello fellow soldiers!" Rolf shouted as the two landed. They both landed and the first thing they saw was the hollow and empty faces that met them. Among them that Rolf recognized was Annie, Reiner, Marco, Jean, Bertholdt, Connie, and Sasha. Sasha seemed to be the only one not completely without hope as she looked at the newcomers.

"Rolf? Hey aren't you supposed to be in the Rear Guard too? Mikasa just showed up too, what's going on back there?" She asked, as Rolf walked up to her. "And...Mina is that you? Weren't you in Eren's squad?"

"Wait, death eyes Mikasa is here too?" Rolf asked, with Sasha pointing over to the back of one of the roofs, where Mikasa was leaning in front of...Armin! Rolf's eyes widened as he saw him. "But...Mina, Rolf thought you said Armin had been pushed into one of the beast's throats!"

"I...that's what I saw. Before I was knocked out." She said, before turning to Sasha. "Yes I...there weren't enough Titans there to get me...I guess..."

Rolf ran over to the two, looking down at them. "Armin-boy! Rolf was sure you were no more!" Rolf said with a smile, pulling up the small boy into his arms for a choking hug. Armin, however, began to shake when he heard Rolf say that.

"Mina...survived..." He asked softly as Rolf set him down.

"Yes she did. Rolf knows not how so, but she did as did you! Surely Eren-boy did as well, yes?" Rolf asked, but the look on Armin's face was as if Rolf had just force-fed him some of Wilfred's anti-worm medicine. "Right Armin-boy?"

"Thomas Wagner, Nack Tierce, and Eren Jaeger...I saw...all died valiantly...upholding their duty..." Armin said, sobbing as tears ran down his cheeks. Rolf was once again hit in the gut. When he saw Mina had survived and then Armin, he thought there might be a chance. But if he saw them all die before his eyes…

That's when the boy heard the talking behind him, how they would all die if they tried to do anything, or that they will anyways. Rolf felt his fists clench, until he turned around.

"To think...I survived only to die anyways..." Mina said, before Rolf shouted.

"Nonsense! Rolf is ashamed to hear such babbling and crying from this lot!" Rolf said, marching forward. "Eren-boy was a strong and powerful comrade, and Rolf will not listen to this fear mongering at his memory! Rolf's patience is thin like Mama's hair!" He said storming to the edge. "Rolf shall see to it we make it back to the Wall!"

"But we can't. There's too many Titans, and even if there were only a few we're almost out of gas." One of the cadets said. Rolf had completely forgotten about his gas, and after chasing a ghost Titan for a while he knew he couldn't have much left.

"Where is the rest of the gas, in the command yes? Then we shall go there first!" Rolf said, before another soldier spoke up.

"But the building is swarming with Titans, and there are probably smaller ones crawling all over inside, it's hopeless!"

"What, must Rolf repeat himself?! Rolf shall ignore your failure with such disgrace at your pitiful attempt to prove your sorry and feeble effort at self survival! Rolf would not line Wilfred's plumbing pit with such dribble." Rolf said before pointing to it. "Rolf has killed Titans with Rolf's own bare hands, and we have she-devil Mikasa with us! Just the two of us could crush the egg-weak beasts that infest the city like the fleas on Victor's back! Or, shall Rolf let you all be such cowardly sheep with no Son of a Shepherd to protect?" Rolf asked, looking at them all. "Rolf shall go, and Rolf knows that all of you shall follow Rolf, if only so your cucumber legs no longer grow soft in worry of being plucked for a garden dinner!" Rolf yelled, before leaping from the roof, and zipping away.

As Rolf flew through the air, he heard another one follow, looking back to see Mikasa. And it was at that point that Rolf soon heard a few more follow him, before a loud roar from the cadets picked up and the rest followed. Rolf grinned as he looked ahead.

"Look out, measly carnivores! For Rolf's flock shall be avenged!"

* * *

 **AN: And finally got another chapter up to my usual length standards, or at least on the lower end. This was also the first real time I had to write serious Rolf while keeping him in character and the zany and hard to understand Son of a Shepherd we all love, as well as finding out the best ways to go about getting some of the minor changes Rolf's appearance would start to create.**

 **Sorry it took a bit longer to come out, it just seemed like life worked its hardest to prevent this chapter.**

 **Hope you all are enjoying it thus far, and I hope you look forward to the next chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The cadet soldiers were running across the rooftops and zipping across the streets and alleys on their way towards headquarters and their last hope of survival. Rolf was leading the charge after his speech, the others following the confusing foreigner. Rolf saw a Titan up ahead and prepared to kick it in the face, when a blur and gust of gas propelled wind burst by Rolf. Looking up he saw that Mikasa has zoomed past him and slashed it in the nape, sending it to its death as she rushed on. Rolf raised his arm and yelled.

"Bravo Mikasa-girl! Rolf salutes your viciousness in the slaughter and quick speed!" He said...just as Mikasa suddenly stopped mid-air and fell towards the ground. Rolf widened his eyes, just as he saw Armin then Connie break off to meet her. Jean appeared like he was going to as well, when Rolf hung back and smacked him in the head.

"Jean-boy, two shall be enough to get her! Rolf needs that brown headed mind to focus on the crushing of the basket infesters in front of our noses!" Rolf ordered as he leaped over a raised platform, then landed on the rooftop. Running forward, Jean grimaced and nodded.

"Fine, fine Rolf! But you better not touch me again, or I swear-"

"Titan!" They both heard Mina shout out behind them. Looking ahead, the two saw a large Titan turning towards them before moving for the group. Rolf leaped diagonally, zipping past it. However not everyone was so fortunate. As Rolf looked back, he heard screams and saw one of the cadets had been grasped. Rolf's eyes widened as he saw the Titan bring the boy towards its mouth, before his horrible screams where ended in a single bite.

Rolf had never actually seen a person die before in his life. Just before, he'd seen the aftermath and it had made the foreigner sick to his stomach. However, there was a difference between seeing just body parts and some blood stains and actually watching a life end. And in such a horrible way, screaming helplessly as those teeth closed down on their life.

Rolf felt his heart hammer, the world around him froze for a moment, before it came crashing back into him when he slammed right into the edge of a building. Rolf shook his head as he flew backwards and fell crashing to the ground. Groaning, Rolf slowly stood up. Across the way, he could see the other cadets where flying past as fast as they could to avoid the Titan.

"Rolf!" Mina shouted out, as she flew past visual eyesight. Rolf rubbed his back with a groan.

"Ugh...Rolf's back aches with the sores of failure." Rolf said, before gripping his blades. Yet the visual just stayed with Rolf. His comrade yelling helplessly as he was shoved into the mouth of the beast, the horror as those sickeningly human teeth closed down and sliced through his flesh, blood dripping down its revolting chin. And Rolf...he couldn't do a thing.

 _No, Rolf could've...Rolf had frozen like a scared lamb in front of the hateful wolf…_ Rolf thought, before hearing a crash. Looking back towards it, Rolf saw a similarly sized Titan as his first kill glaring down with what almost looked like a grin on its face. Rolf could barely let out a noise before it leaped at him, arms outreached. Rolf grunted as he raised his own arms and gripped its hands, getting pushed backwards as he dug his heels into the ground, feeling the stones crack and give way. Looking up, Rolf could see it leaning in with its disgusting mouth, seeing some bloodstains on those teeth as the bit at the air, trying to bite to Rolf, who was barely able to keep out of its way. Rolf shuddered as he could see himself in those teeth, chomped down like a stolen sheep from his father's flock on a moonlit night.

 _Rolf...Rolf is just a boy, Rolf is not his Papa or Great Nano...Rolf failed against the wolf, what could Rolf do to beasts that treat us like tasty sausages at a feast?_ Rolf thought, getting pushed down to one knee, struggling as he pushed against the giant. However, as he did Rolf felt something burning up inside of him, and he remembered his promise back when he was pranked by Gerda the Goatmilker:

 _Not again!_

Rolf glared up at the beast trying to snack on him, when he forced himself back up on his feet. _These beasts are no more than a hungry predator attacking Rolf's rear buttocks! Rolf is not Papa nor Great Nano._ It was then that Rolf gave a predatory grin at the beast in front of him.

"NO! I AM ROLF!" Rolf shouted, pushing the Titan's arms out to the side, causing it to be launched forward faster than it was anticipating. As the Titan's head was almost upon Rolf, he swung his fist up in an uppercut, smashing the Titan's jaw into pieces and flinging it back up on its feet then falling backwards.

"SON OF A SHEPHERD!" Rolf squeezed his gear's handles and fired his hooks forward zipping him underneath it. Looking up at the falling beast, Rolf kicked up with his legs, sending himself up to its nape, screaming out his warrior call as he dug the twin blades into the nape, slashing so hard he sent himself all the way through the Titan, decapitating it and the nape, flying up and landing on its falling chest. As it landed, Rolf panted as he looked down at it past his shattered blades.

"And Rolf's flock shall be safe from any predator." Rolf said as he replaced his pair of blades, before turning to a building and firing his hooks into it, and zipping back up to catch up to his allies.

* * *

Rolf couldn't see where everyone else had gone, but knew where his destination was, and so made his way there. Running across buildings when he could to preserve gas. Rolf looked ahead, seeing a Titan looking away from him as he ran. As Rolf leaped across, he kicked it in the head, knocking it back to the street.

"Face Rolf's fury, and have your fields infested with the fleas of your cows!" Rolf said, before seeing the final stretch ahead. Rolf ran towards the building and fired out his hooks, zipping past the small horde of Titans that were still between him and the building. Rolf could see some were distracted by what they were eating, which made Rolf's turnips crack.

"Rolf shall avenge all!" Rolf said as he shot forward, slashing one of their napes, and kicking off of the head of another one. Looking ahead, Rolf saw he was heading directly towards the open jaw of another Titan.

"May your armpits tickle with the pain of radishes!" Rolf declared as he swung his fist into the Titan's nose, snapping its head back enough to break its neck, and sending it down onto the ground, zipping around and flying past the Titans, who seemed to move in on Rolf a lot more slowly.

Rolf slashed out the eyes of another one, the last of the group, as he fell into one of the broken windows, tumbling to the ground. Rolf slowly stood up and patted himself off.

"And that is how you maneuver the forest of teeth. Thank you very much." Looking up, Rolf saw the wide-eyed stares of most of the cadets who'd gone ahead of him. "Oh, hello! Rolf made it. Easy peasy, one two three." Rolf said, before Mina rushed past the group.

"Rolf, you're alright! I wasn't sure what would happen, after you fell on the ground with Titans everywhere." She said, and clenched her fists. "And I didn't even stop or try to help."

"What is this tomfoolishness?" Rolf asked, walking by her. "Rolf can handle Rolf, yes? There were beasts of the Titan variety, but as Rolf said, Rolf can handle a few mere weaklings." He said, as he got close to the group.

"Now, what shall we do?" Rolf said, before getting interrupted by a loud smashing sound. Looking behind him, Rolf saw that a Titan has smashed its head into the wall, and looking in at the people. That was when the panic started, and all the soldiers in the room began to scream, yell, and rush for the doors out of the room, with only Jean next to him frozen in fear. Rolf stood still and glared.

"Ah hello. Rolf is here to inform you that interrupting a Shepherd and family when speaking is a grave punishment! Prepare yourself for a merciless thrashing!" Rolf yelled as he drew his blades. Mina at that moment grabbed his arm.

"Rolf, we have to get out of here! There are too many of them, even for you!" She said, trying to pull and drag him back.

"Rolf shall not be swayed and cowed by such ineffectual wannabe airline stewards!" Rolf said, and looked back. "It is the task of a Son of a Shepherd to protect his flock from predators." Rolf said, grinning.

Before either could continue on, however, was when the Titan's face began to distort...then was sent flying away by a massive fist. Then standing in front of the massive hole was another large Titan, but very different. It had elongated and pointy ears, as well as no lips or cheeks hiding its teeth. It glared with a malice and hate not seen in the mindless Titans, and it roared with that same malice and hate. But most odd of all, it was facing towards the other Titans, not Rolf and Mina, with raised fists. It was at that moment when three more bodies smashed through some of the unbroken glass, this being Mikasa, Connie, and Armin.

Rolf walked over to them and looked down. "Ah glad to see you, cue ball head Connie. Seems you and Armin-boy were successful in the task of retrieving Mikasa! If only Rolf could give you a "Saving of the warrior" badge, yes?"

Connie stood up grinning and pointed out of the hole to the new Titan. "That's not even the best part. We came across an abnormal who's got a bone to pick with his own kind! And the best part: he couldn't care less about us!"

Rolf looked out at it, hand on his chin as he watched it stomp towards the rest of the Titans. "Ah, Rolf sees! Any flock would do well to have a herding dog! Rolf thinks this would be a most apt substitute! Congratulations on your incredible find, not so dull in the lightbulb Connie!" Rolf said, smacking him on the back.

"Wait so...we can get out of here fine?" Mina asked, as Rolf nodded.

"See, Rolf was correct! The fortune of Rolf's ancestors shines upon Rolf's fields for all." Rolf said, grinning as they heard the Titan smashing and roaring.

* * *

While the Titans outside were getting slaughtered by their impromptu ally, there was still one major matter at hand. Rolf learned that on the bottom floor, which also happened to be where the extra gas and blades where, seven four-meter tall Titans had gotten in. As long as they were there, it would be impossible to refill, and there wasn't enough gas among the cadets to go in and fight them. However, Armin did have a plan.

Most of the cadets, lead by Marco, would lower themselves into a lift in the middle of the supply room, four meters off the ground. Jean had been able to find a large cache of old Military Police muskets, which these cadets would be armed with, filled with buckshot. The Titans would be attracted to them, and encircle the group.

Next, once the Titans get close enough, the group would fire into their eyes, blinding them. Unable to see, the Titans would be vulnerable, and unable to eat the group.

Finally, the most difficult task. The seven most skilled warriors would have climbed into the rafters while the Titans were distracted. Once the Titan's have their eyes shot out, before they can regenerate the seven would leap down over their nape's and kill them there. The seven chosen were Mikasa, Annie, Reiner, Jean, Sasha, Connie, and Rolf.

Most everyone seemed fairly confident in the plan, with the only exception being Armin. Rolf patted Armin on the head and grinned.

"Rolf has seen how the mind process of the genius like Sock Ed-boy works! Armin reminds Rolf a lot of him, so Rolf is sure your plan will work. Stop mewing like an unfed swine and Rolf is sure your plan will work hunky dorey!" Rolf said, as he held his blades and followed the rest of the group. Mina gripped one of the muskets and looked over to wish them good luck as they descended the stairs.

Once they got down the stairs, the seven slayers each went to their positions on the rafters. Rolf looked down as he saw the Titans amble along, until the lift was slowly lowered to eye level with the Titans. The cadets each cocked their muskets and aimed them outwards towards the Titans. It was at that point that the Titans turned towards the lift and marched towards it from all sides.

Rolf watched as one of them came underneath him. He stared down at it, waiting to hear the gunshots, already impressed that the bait group were able to keep calm during this. The Titans slowly ambled closer and closer. The room was otherwise dead silent, Rolf able to practically feel everyone's hearts beginning to race during this. The Titans grinned as they stepped closer to their meals, their eyes almost touching the musket barrels. It was then that Marco shouted out. "Fire!"

All of them squeezed their triggers, the hammers slamming forward and creating sparks, igniting the gunpowder to launch the buckshot into their eyes. As the Titans roared and stumbled back, Rolf and the other slayers rushed forward. Rolf yelled out as he kicked himself towards his target, cleaving his blades into its nape. As Rolf landed, he looked up in satisfaction as it fell dead. Looking around, Rolf saw that the same happened with Mikasa, Annie, Reiner, and Jean.

However, two Titans still stood, with Connie and Sasha having missed their targets. The two widened their eyes and slowly backed away, on the verge of panicking, as the Titans looked back at them with their regenerated eyes. Rolf's voice then pierced the room.

"Nincompoops! Must Rolf do everything?!" Rolf shouted as he ran at the Titan going for Sasha. Leaping up, he strangled its arm in his grasp, and flung his body down, breaking its arm and flipping it to its back. Landing on its chest, Rolf quickly grabbed ahold of the beast by the head and grunted as he struggled to tear it, before finally ripping the Titan's head clean off. Grabbing it, he flung it as hard as he could at Connie's Titan, flipping it backwards to the ground on its chest.

With a quick, clean cut Rolf was able to finish Sasha's off, before running over and doing the same to Connie's. Panting, Rolf looked down at the two Titans, before brushing his hands off with a grin. "Once again, Rolf proves to be above the weakling beasts. Thank you."

However, as soon as Rolf turned around, he felt like something was off. Looking around, Rolf saw that he was the center of attention. Everyone on the ground was just staring at him, eyes wide and mouths gaping in shock. Looking up, Rolf could see that everyone up in the lift was also staring at him the same way. Rolf was confused as he looked between everyone.

"...Was it something Rolf said?"

* * *

"How in the world could you possibly do that?!" Connie yelled excitedly once everyone had lowered down to the supply room and began to fill up their gas. The Titan outside of the building ensured that no other Titans would get in while they refilled, so everyone was mostly at ease.

Except for the display Rolf had just shown them.

"Rolf is confused as to what you mean. Rolf merely showed those Titans what a good thrashing is." Rolf said, as he filled up his gas.

"Yeah, but by tearing their friggin heads off!" Connie said, completely excited at how his life had been saved.

"I knew you were strong Rolf, but none of us knew you were that strong! How did you get that way?" Mina asked, also in disbelief at what she'd just seen.

"By working the fields from dusk to dawn as Papa asks of Rolf. Doing one's chores leads to the life of strong muscles." Rolf said, surprised they didn't already know this.

"That shouldn't be possible!" Connie yelled again, as he sat back.

"Well, neither should a Titan that kills other Titans..." Jean said, before marching over to him. "How long did you know?! Do you know how many lives could've been saved if we'd all known you could do that?" Jean said, before being interrupted by Sasha.

"Hey...he did use it to save lives. He saved me and Connie just now. I don't know what would've happened if he hadn't."

"And he was on his own for a while too, killing more of them. Who knows how many lives that saved." Mina defended as well.

"Rolf is still surprised. Rolf said about how his Great Nano fought off the great sea cucumber, surely this is no big whatsit compared, yes?" Rolf said, standing up and fully fueled. "Rolf is still surprised this meant anything, Rolf never hid anything from anyone."

"Like He-" Jean started, before Mina once again stood up.

"Look, right now arguing won't do anything. We know now, and Rolf seems genuinely confused. Let's focus on getting back home first before we do anything else, okay?"

"...Fine, but you better start telling people about this after, Rolf!" Jean said, pointing at Rolf, before they all began to head outside. Once outside, most of the cadets used their new gas to make a clean break for the Wall, with the rogue Titan having cleared out most of the opposition.

Rolf ran out after Sasha and Connie, seeing the two zip away. As Rolf got there, he looked up and saw Mikasa standing on the rooftops, looking down. "What is Mikasa-girl doing, gawking like a chick without a hen?" Rolf asked, before getting tugged by Mina.

"C'mon Rolf, we have to go now." She said, before looking up and seeing her. At that point Armin, then Jean, then Reiner, Annie, and Bertholdt followed. She shook her head. "Let's go, they'll get her." She said, before deploying a hook and zipping off.

"Right, Rolf agrees." Rolf said, shaking it off and deploying his own hooks as well. Zipping by, he shouted at them. "Hurry up, for the left over cabbage spoils well!" Rolf advised, before speeding his way past them towards the wall.

* * *

"I want all you cadets on stand-by, look sharp!" Came the barking order of the Garrison commander to the cadets as they sat by the supplies, getting food and water. Rolf panted as he fell to his knees and grabbed one of the many canisters of water.

"Rolf's thirst parches Rolf like the driest corner of Papa's scalp." Rolf panted, before grabbing the water and chugging it down as fast as he could. As he felt the cooling liquid flow down his throat, Mina sat next to him with her own water, as well as two pieces of flatbread.

"Here Rolf, after that you have gotta be hungry." She said, offering it, who took it and bit down on a piece, before swallowing.

"Rolf thanks you for the sustenance, Mina-girl."Rolf said, wiping his lips. Rolf sat back and groaned, stretching. "Rolf is glad we all made it. Rolf is surprised that we were able to." Rolf confessed.

"Heh, I suppose. But with that Titan, seems luck favored us." Then she smiled back at him. "Not that it mattered, seems with you among us, we always stood a chance, even if we didn't know it."

As Rolf smiled and was about to thank him, Connie spoke up. "No kidding there! I still can't believe it, Rolf threw a Titan over his shoulder and tore its head off!" He said, grinning. "You saved me and Sasha's life there, you've got the strength of a Titan yourself!"

"Huh? Oh come on, you've gotta be exaggerating." Came the bitter voice of one of the cadets Rolf recognizes, Ymir, and ever-present with her was the small and kind Krista.

"Huh, no way! He literally threw one Titan's head at the one about to make me a snack!" Connie said excitedly. Sasha nodded next to him, her mouth full of bread.

"Yeah, he wash sho shtrong it wash almosht unbelivable." She said, a bit hard to understand before swallowing.

"I also saw it with my own eyes. It was incredible. The Titan and Rolf really saved our lives there." Mina said with a grin.

Ymir narrowed her eyes, while Krista had her eyes widen. The petite girl spoke up. "Wow, really? Rolf, how did you do that? Is...is that even possible?"

"Well Rolf did it, so surely that means the possibility is as possible as Papa cleaning Nana's back lint, yes?" Rolf argued. "But yes, Rolf did do it, small in the stature but big in the heart Krista-girl."

"There's no way that's true." Came a soldiers voice. Connie's eagerness and Rolf's confirmation was beginning to draw a crowd of other soldiers to him, with a discussion beginning to break out among them about what was being said. Most were disputing it, and in disbelief. That's when one soldier stepped up.

"Hold on, surely you could give him the benefit of the doubt, right?" Came the voice of Sergeant Ben Fischer.

"Ah, hello Ben!" Rolf said with a smile and getting up, walking over.

"Hey there Rolf. Seems my plan of getting you out of trouble and away from anything messy backfired, huh?" He said, before looking at the crowd. "So, bit of a rumor's starting up that you tossed around a Titan and tore its head off. Is it true?"

"On the word of the Yonick family, Rolf is indeed passing off his words as the truth." Rolf said nodding. "Rolf is just not sure what the big humpty dum is."

"Heh, of course." He said, then spoke up for everyone to hear. "If that's right, then I believe him." He said, before looking around at the voices and expressions of disbelief. "Over three years ago, after the expedition to reclaim Wall Maria failed, I was one of the survivors who was making his way back. Along the way, I saw a boy get launched over ten meters at incredible speeds and hit a tree. What did it was a decapitated Titan. Yet funny enough, there was no soldiers anywhere nearby, no one who could've done it. And the boy who hit the tree was fine." He said, then pat Rolf on the shoulder. "That boy was Rolf Yonick. So if him and some others saw him toss a Titan, I believe it."

At that, the crowd began to murmur more excitedly, talking about it.

"That's just not possible."

"But...Ben's a sergeant and survivor outside of the Wall..."

"Why would he lie like that?"

"You know, during training Rolf did crash through a tree and was fine. They said it must've been rotten, but what if it wasn't?"

"That's true, and I did hear rumor of a blue-haired kid beating up two elite soldiers in a market nearby three years ago..."

"Yeah, I did too...could it be-?"

"Hey if it's true, prove it!" One voice said, and soon, the voices spoke up and asked for more. "Yeah, pick up one of the horses. If you could toss a Titan, a horse should be easy!"

Rolf looked over them all, feeling everyone's eyes go on his as they began to demand it. That's when Mina stepped in front of him.

"Come on now, strong or not he just went through an ordeal, as we all did!" She said. "Leave him alone, okay?"

"No no, Mina-girl, Rolf would be happy to settle this, yes?" Rolf said, looking at one of the horses that had brought supplies to the troops. Rolf strutted over, with everyone's eyes on him. Rolf walked up to it, petting the creature and whispering in its ear.

"Rolf apologizes for scaring this beast, but Rolf needs to borrow your massive girth for a moment." Rolf said, before reaching around it, and hefting it up. The horse neighed and whinnied, squirming and thrashing in a bit of a panic, confused at what was happening as Rolf easily hefted the horse up.

Other than the noise of the horse, the soldiers had gone silent. Rolf was easily holding it above his head, not even breaking a sweat or straining. Soon Rolf set it back down, tied up so it wouldn't run after that. Petting it, Rolf turned to everyone.

"See now? Now shall Rolf's honor no longer be questioned?" Rolf said, to the eyes of everyone, who began to murmur again.

"He's so strong!"

"How is that possible?"

"He's like a human Titan."

"Rolf, the Human Titan! And a soldier on our side!" Came more optimistic voices and some clapping.

Rolf smiled back at them, looking at his friends as they watched, Mina, Sasha, and Connie walking over and congratulating him.

However, everyone went quiet at the sound of a massive explosion. Looking back, everyone saw a pillar of smoke rising up by the Wall.

On the inside of the Wall.

"...What interrupts Rolf yet again?"

* * *

 **AN: So yeah, pretty quick chapter release. After writing the last one, I just had a lot more inspiration just rush to me! This story is just so much fun to write, and I'm glad to see that you all think it's just as fun to read. I'd say so far, my only big regret is that I wish I'd known I was going to do add one of the larger plot points in this chapter ahead of time, because then I'd have added a bit more to the last couple of chapters.**

 **Once again, don't expect this kind of release schedule at all, but I hope you enjoy it. This was one of the most fun writing I've ever done with this chapter. Including a special segment near the beginning that has been in my mind far longer than even the idea of this fanfic.**

 **Once again, thank you for reading and enjoying.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Seeing the smoke that was raised, most of the nearby soldiers had turned their attention away from Rolf and to it, whispering rumors about what it could be. The fact that it was on the inside of the wall was most distressing.

That was when Rolf noticed that Reiner was very intently staring at the smoke, than activated his Vertical Maneuver Gear and launching himself up, with Bertholdt and surprisingly Annie following. Rolf saw that Jean had a look on his face, one that seemed to imply he knew what it was but didn't like it, before following.

Rolf activated his own gear to follow when he heard Mina behind him.

"Wait Rolf, what's going on?" She asked, looking up at the others and the smoke. "Where are they going?"

"Clearly to the smoke, surely you're not that thick in the head." Rolf said, shaking his own head. "Maybe it had to do with why Mikasa and Armin-boy didn't follow us. Either way, Rolf sees that Rolf could help, if everyone really is as namby-pamby weakling as they seem." Activating his hooks he shot up, with Mina following after.

After they ran after the others, they arrived at the edge of the buildings right before the wall. Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie, and Jean were standing there, but their eyes were widened.

"Tell Rolf, why are your eyes jutting out like a chicken laying an eg-" Rolf started asking, then that was when he saw it. Looking down, almost obscured by a pillar of smoke, sat what looked like a massive, half formed body. Partly skeletal and muscular, with a single staring eye. It was then that Rolf noticed back near them was a line of Garrison soldiers, led by Commander Kitz Woermann, who was in charge of the defense of Trost at the moment. Unsurprisingly, they were all on edge.

"What...what is going on here?" Mina asked, speaking up as she looked down at it.

"I...think that's Eren..." Jean said slowly.

"Eren-boy? But Rolf thought Eren was no more, devoured by those accursed beasts!" Rolf asked, looking back at them.

"Well...remember that Titan that was helping us out and killing those other Titans? Well...after it collapsed, Eren just...stepped out." Jean said slowly. "I...bet that's why this is happening, they're afraid of hi-"

"Oh hoh! Eren-boy is alive! Rolf must go congratulate him!" Rolf said, grinning as he fired off a hook right at the smoke.

"No Rolf wait-!" Mina shouted and tried to grab him, but she was too late as Rolf shot down

"Eren!" Rolf said as he landed right between the massive half-skeleton and the Garrison line. The soldiers were all stunned and didn't quite know how to respond as this tall, blue haired cadet just walked in front of their guns and cheerfully ran into the smoke.

When Rolf ran inside of the smoke, he saw that Armin, Mikasa, and sure enough Eren sat under the massive ribcage. They all three looked over at him, stunned.

"...Rolf?" Eren asked gasping as he was picked up in a massive, spine-crushing hug.

"Ah, the Son of a Shepherd is so glad t see you and not digested, hair-trigger-temper-Eren-boy!" Rolf said, grinning.

"Rolf...it's...good to...see you...too but...ghag!" Eren said, feeling his eyes bulge a bit. Rolf eventually put him down, causing Eren to gasp and cough a bit.

"So, Eren-boy can turn himself into a large Titan creature, yes? Rolf congratulates you!" The excited boy said, patting him on the back, when Armin spoke up.

"Rolf, what are you doing? Didn't you see the line of guns?"

"...Hello?" Rolf said, and peeked his head out of the smoke, seeing the garrison soldiers.

"Cadet! Get away from there and out of line, or be considered a fellow enemy of mankind!" Kitz shouted at Rolf.

"But why are the soldiers here aiming their shooty guns at Eren-boy? Surely they must know that Eren would only harm a Titan fly, yes?" Rolf asked, back in the smoke.

"They're scared of Eren. They don't know what's going on, and panicking. They've got a cannon aimed right at us!" Armin said, pointing up on the Wall.

Rolf looked up at it, and saw that there was, in fact, a cannon being loaded and aimed at the group. "Ah, so that's what caused the big boom interrupting Rolf's explanation of his strength. Well don't worry, Rolf will help settle matters, yes?"

"What, but how do you-" Armin said, although Rolf shot up and out, heading up the Wall.

"There we go, good job cadet, now team I want-CADET, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Kitz said, as he saw Rolf landing next to and walking towards the cannon.

"Excuse Rolf, but Rolf will need to borrow this. Rolf knows dangerous tools should not be in the hands of those without a mind as blank as a cow." Rolf said, as he reached his arms under the cannon, the two cannoneers also confused by this.

"Hey wait, Cadet what are you-" That's when the cannon gave a slight groan as Rolf hefted and pushed his knees up, the cannon in his arms.

"There...Rolf goes...wheh cannon is heavier than a horse. Rolf shall make a note of this." Rolf said, then embedded a hook back on the Wall and lowering himself and the cannon to the ground. Rolf set it down, when he looked back at Captain Kitz. "There Captain! Rolf apologizes if Rolf may have taken a step first, but Rolf will make his way out now. Rolf hopes without the big gun, all can think more like the great squid and not shoot about like a sheep with no watch. Rolf shall see if Rolf can scrounge up eels for the Eels of Forgiveness." Rolf said, as he took a few steps forward, only to have the muskets turned on him.

"W-What did you just do?! How did you take away that cannon? Are you in line with the enemy as well?! I will bring you down as well, I will-"

"I think that's enough, Captain Woermann. And might I suggest doing something about that nervous disposition?" Came a calm voice behind the captain. Said captain turned around, eyes widened as he saw the bald, older moustached gentleman.

"C-Commander Pixis?" He said, surprised to see him.

"I must say, being able to lift a cannon up and bring it off the Wall is quite the impressive trick. And he has quite the right idea about keeping dangerous weapons in calm hands. Maybe it'd be worth hearing him and his comrades out."

* * *

Rolf had been informed by Armin that Commander Dot Pixis was the commander and leader of the entire Garrison Regiment, and was in charge of the southern defense. And...that he was completely and utterly eccentric.

"Mmm, nope none of you." Pixis said, as he looked down the wall at the group of Titans clawing at it, trying to get through or get to Pixis. "Although getting eaten by one wouldn't be so bad, if it was a sexy lady Titan." He smirked at that.

"...Commander, Rolf must beg of the pardon, why would anyone think of shimmy-shake the skin of a swine Titan? Rolf cannot see it ending other than messily devoured like Wilfred at his grub." Rolf asked confused.

Pixis looked back at Rolf, staring at the foreign boy for a moment, before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a flask, unscrewing the cap, and taking a quick swig. "I get the feeling I didn't bring nearly enough of this."

Right now, Rolf, Armin, Eren, Mikasa, and Pixis were standing on top of the inner gate of Trost, looking over the wreckage left by the Titans. As of now, the Armored Titan hadn't shown up so Wall Rose itself was safe, but they were not just going to abandon Trost District, not like this.

Eren had just gotten done saying something about a cellar in his old home holding answers, or something. Pixis did guarantee their safety though, and said that he'd put this information away for later, seeing as it was irrelevant to the current situation. Rolf was just wondering why he had been brought up as well.

 _Is Rolf possibly getting recognition for stopping the cannon blasting of Titan-in-human-clothing-Eren-boy?_ Rolf thought, as Pixis spoke up.

"Now, Cadet Arlelt, you just now mentioned you had a plan for using Eren's Titan power to help retake the city. Were you being sincere, or begging for your life when you were unaware of where my position on Cadet Jaeger lied?"

"Um...well both sir." Armin answered truthfully. "I was thinking that if Eren could, in his Titan form, lift that humongous boulder and use it to block off the wrecked gate." Armin suggested slowly.

Dot Pixis stared intently into Armin's eyes, trying clearly to get a bead on him. He nodded slowly, and turned to Rolf.

"And you, Cadet Yonick. You have some incredible strength there. Not only able to lift a cannon, but propel it down off the Wall is...well, it's beyond anything human." He said, then smirked. "But I suppose it would be too much to think even you could lift up that boulder."

Rolf nodded, also saluting like Armin. "Rolf regrets to inform you, Commander bald but big in the upper thinking. Rolf feels if Rolf even tried, the boulder of great girth would squash Rolf like one of Papa's back pimples."

"...So that's a no, got it." He said, before reaching into his jacket again as he kneeled down by Eren.

"And you, Cadet Jaeger, appears to be our best shot at ceiling this hole. So are you willing to do it." He asked, staring down at Eren for a moment. Rolf grinned, knowing the answer already, even before Eren responded to that.

"Yes sir. I don't know if I'll be able to seal the hole, but I'll do it."

"Excellent." Pixis said, then headed back to the Wall and calling his staff officers.

* * *

Pixis and his officers were busy fleshing out a plan for the next while, before Pixis went to talk to the crowd of assembled soldiers. Rolf and Eren were tasked with standing beside him as he explained his plan.

Telling the crowd that Eren was a scientific experiment, he would lift the rock and use it to seal up the hole. However, he also claimed that Rolf was a back-up plan, and once again Rolf was asked to lift a cannon in front of the entire crowd to showcase his immense strength. He did, however, claim that the soldiers were totry to defend Eren against other Titans. While the earlier demonstrations seemed to ease the soldiers, this latest revelation once again put their minds at edge, and many threatened to leave with Pixis's blessing. However, that was when he told them that by leaving, they were fine with the possibility of Titans breaking through Rose and killing their loved ones, which succeeded in bring almost all, if not all, of the deserters back.

Soon after, the operation began to go into effect. Rolf and Mikasa's former squad leader, Ian Dietrich was assigned to lead the operation on Eren's side of things, leading the elite Garrison soldiers who were to guard Eren. As the squad left to run over to the other side of the town, Ian turned to Rolf.

"Now Rolf, I want you to stay and listen to orders this time. If anything in this crazed plan goes belly up, you're our best hope of success with that strength of yours. So obey orders and stay where you're supposed to." Rolf nodded to Ian's orders.

"Rolf swears on the burning blisters of Nana's foot that Rolf will follow orders and stick with hope-of-all-Eren-boy." Rolf said as he ran, where he was interrupted by Mitabi Jarnach, one of the lead soldiers in the elite squad.

"I don't get it, how could any of ya possibly understand this guy?" He asked, looking over at Rolf, when Ian once again interrupted them.

"Everyone stow it, we're arriving at the boulder!" He said as the group ran over to where the boulder lay ready. The squad stopped there as the last leader of the of the elite squad, Rico Brzenska, pulled out a signal flair and fired a green smoke signal. Once that was done, Ian turned to everyone.

"Alright, let's go!" With that said, all of the soldiers leaped off, firing their Vertical Maneuvering Gear at the nearby buildings. Rolf launched off, flying through the air, kicking off of and running across some of the buildings in their way. Looking to his left, he saw that Eren was still within sight, and soon the boulder was coming within it as well.

"Rolf sees that it is time to go!" Rolf said, as a blinding flash of lightning struck down where Eren was, and a tremendous explosion ripped through the air. Rolf landed on a building across from the boulder, looking to see Mikasa landing on another across from him. And sure enough, standing there right next to the boulder was the massive Titan that had helped the cadets earlier, Eren Jaeger.

"Rolf is mightily impressed, Titan-Eren-boy!" Rolf said, grinning as he looked at what was normally an adversary of his. Rolf grinned as he sat down watched Eren turn to the boulder...before just stopping.

"...Hello? Eren-boy, why have you frozen stiff like a chicken outside of her coop? Pick up the boulder, very easy one two three." Rolf suggested, just when the Titan form of Eren turned around to face Mikasa...then slammed his fist right where she was standing. Looking and seeing that Mikasa had been able to leap out of the way, Rolf grimaced.

"Poppycock! Eren-boy, you're supposed to attack Titans and lift boulder! Let Rolf beat some sense into that cloudy over-sized head!" Rolf fired his hooks into Eren's back and flew towards him, slamming his fist right into the back of his head, knocking Eren down into the building. Rolf reached around and yanked on his hair back and stepping over to Eren's cheek.

"Had enough, miscreant?" Rolf asked, before Eren sharply snapped his jaws at Rolf, who leaped back. And landed in front of him. Rolf grimaced and fired both of his hooks past both sides of Eren's neck, then leaped forward. Using the momentum, Rolf was able to slam right into Eren's face, smashing him back into the boulder on his bottom.

Rolf then landed right at his neck and began to press his legs hard into Eren's neck, while also pushing up to keep Eren's jaw at bay. Grimacing as Eren struggled, Rolf was able to keep him pinned for now. Rolf looked back as the elite soldiers were talking on the building.

"Rolf...will hold...Eren-boy until he decides to not be an ornery rooster in front of a hen!" Rolf shouted back as he kept the struggling Eren on the ground for a moment, pinned. But he could hear the rattling of the gear as he kept grasping onto him. Staring up, Rolf pushed his hand up quickly.

"Eren...boy...after today Rolf will deliver you a merciless thrashing with Rolf's shoe!" Rolf threatened as Eren roared and tried to swing a fist up at Rolf. "Not today, shrill of the plan ruiner!" Rolf shouted as he swung a leg up and snapped Eren's arm up. However this move jostled his equipment, and sent his right hook free and reeling back to him. Growling, Rolf moved and pulled the trigger on the handle that was holding up Eren's jaw. Rolf could feel the sweat going down his face as he struggled on to hold Eren in place. That's when Rolf saw someone land on the building next to him.

"Smart in the head Armin-boy, why are you here?!" Rolf Shouted as he swung his arm up to push Eren's head back up as he roared.

"Rolf what's going on?! Why are you blocking Eren like this, he's supposed to be bringing the boulder to the hole!"

"Rolf knows this! Eren-boy tossed the melon but splatted the hips on the head, and burnt the mallow! Rolf is...protecting the others as assigned, when Eren-boy tried to chop the liver on Mikasa-girl and drown the snake!" Rolf said, before shouting and kicking his legs up to swing them back into Eren's chest to knock him back fully on his rear. However, it was clear Armin didn't get that by his slack jaw and wide open eyes.

"Rolf, of all the times to not make sense, now is not a good time!" Armin shouted, where Mikasa answered for Armin instead.

"Rolf means that the plan went wrong, somehow Eren lost control!" Mikasa said, then looked back. "Right now we can only protect him, but there are just so many Titans..."

"Rolf is not sure how long the Son of a Shepherd can keep cry-baby attitude Eren-boy in check!" Rolf shouted through his teeth, feeling his left hook rip out, forcing him to shift to fire it back.

Armin then jumped up onto Eren's squirming shoulders and ran over to the nape, who then started pulling one of his blades out. "I'm getting him out of there!" Armin yelled, walking over to the nape, and aiming it slightly then plunged it deep into his skin. If Eren was struggling before, now he went ballistic.

Rolf cried out as Eren's spasming tore both of Rolf's hooks out of the boulder and then slammed his head into Rolf, sending the recruit flying into the building.

"Rolf!" Mikasa shouted out when Rolf's hand shot up out of the rubble. "Rolf is...not okay but Rolf shall stand again. Mikasa-girl...go do the hummidy and the soaring before Rolf needs to kick your love-boy in the stroodle face again." Rolf said, before falling back and groaning.

Rolf lay there panting for a moment, groaning as he felt his bruises swell up a bit, when he sat up and rubbed his head. Looking up, Rolf saw that Eren had stopped struggling and was staring down at the ground intently, as Armin lay on his shoulder, holding his sword tightly.

"Armin! Has that Eren knocked the fillings of your marble loose?" Rolf shouted when suddenly Eren looked up. Rolf gripped his handles tightly, watching Eren stand up. But then instead of charging at the Son of a Shepherd, Eren turned around and reached under the boulder. With a mighty heave, Eren began to lift the monstrous rock, with Armin zipping back to where Rolf was.

"...Armin why is Eren back to how he was supposed to be?" Rolf asked.

"I just had to remind him why he was fighting." Armin said as Eren placed the boulder on his shoulders and above his head, with Eren stomping forward. Rolf grinned and threw his hand up in the air.

"Victory for the meek Armin-boy!" Rolf said and slapped him on the back, almost sending him to his knees. "When we return, Rolf will feed you the victory shavings from the membrane of a sow!"

"Uh...I mean, you know victory isn't quite assured yet..." Armin said, trying to get out of whatever Rolf had planned, but these fell on deaf ears as Rolf was already on his way zipping over to where Ian, Mikasa, and most of the elite squad were waiting, who were staring in astonishment as Eren carried the massive rock to the gate.

"Hello everyone!" Rolf shouted as he landed with Armin following him. "Armin-boy was successful in bringing moping around Eren back into the thick of the swarm!" Rolf said, pointing over to the gate. "Now we can follow the plan, yes?"

"That's exactly right." Ian said, before shouting out loud to every soldier. "All soldiers, defend Eren to the last! I don't want a single Titan near him!" Ian then turned to Armin and Mikasa cadets. "You two, go! I want you with Eren immediately, that's an order!" He said, before turning to Rolf. "As for you, you are our best bet! Keep running interference, take down any Titans you can, but prioritize Eren!" He said, rushing down to the edge of the building.

Rolf quickly leaped off of the edge of the building, nodding at Ian as he zipped forward. Looking ahead, he saw that there was a group of Titans moving towards Eren. Rolf smirked and zipped forward. "Back Rolf says!" Rolf shouted as he shot forward, kicking the Titan in the face, knocking the hulking beast back onto its back. "Your pastors are overgrown, and your meat is rancid!" Rolf insulted as he leaped backwards, towards a smaller one. Slamming into its head and knocking it to the ground, Rolf fired back at Eren, hooking into the boulder. Zipping back, he met with Mikasa and Armin who were running ahead of him. Landing down on the bolder, Rolf leaped towards a small group of Titans.

"Rolf shall help end this infestation as easily as ending the parasites that infest Wilfred's tuchus! This Rolf promises!" Rolf said, digging his blades into the Titan's eyes before kicking it in the jaw line. This knocked the beast backwards as Rolf swung around it, aiming to dig his blades into its nape. Once done however, Rolf looked up to see one of the Titans looming in to bite him. Kicking up, Rolf kicked off of the Titan and leaped backwards, pushing it backwards. However, that was when Rolf saw that he was heading towards another set of outstretched Titan arms.

Looking around, Rolf realized he was surrounded. Trying to maneuver his hips to get another shot, a giant palm swatted him in mid-air, squeezing hard. Rolf cried out, feeling the hands. He pushed his hands into it, forcing them open, only to jump back onto his back on a Titan's arm, looking up at a it looming in to bite him. That was when it suddenly stopped and went limp, allowing Rolf to jump onto a nearby roof, crashing and rolling. Looking up, Rolf saw that Mina was jumping across from the Titan next to him.

"Yes, my first Titan kill!" She shouted, and looked down. "I figured you could use a hand! Jean's squad is out here helping the elite squad keep Titans off Eren's back, and I just so happened to see you in a bit of trouble." She said, leaning down to offer her hand to help him up. "Seems even you can get overwhelmed."

"Ugh...Rolf thanks you Mina girl for assisting Rolf! For a moment Rolf thought he was but a squash at Papa's special supper." The two looked in front of them, seeing the Titans began to walk to them. "Quick, we cannot let these humpty dumps crash in on Eren-boy's parade!"

"So let's go around another way." She said, rushing away from where Eren was. There was one Titan on the edge of the pack, between buildings. Rolf stopped at the edge and saw it.

"Mina girl, jump!" He said, to the confusion of Mina, who however did jump. Rolf then pushed up at her legs, sending her flipping over the Titan. Rolf grinned and leaped up into it, smashing his head into its forehead, stumbling it a bit.

Mina somewhat got control and was able to dig her hooks into its back and send her down on its distracted body, where she could swing her swords at its nape. The two cadets then landed on the building. Rolf looked back over to Eren, seeing he was making his way there.

"Rolf has to aid in protecting of Eren-boy! Lead the beasts away as well, Rolf is sure you can plumb the lettuce!"

"Uh, right, thanks Rolf! I think..." She said, as Rolf zipped away, zipping past the Titans who focused on Mina, landing with a skid next to Armin.

They were coming up on the home stretch, just one more straight shot and the wall was ahead of them. That is when Rolf looked and saw that Mikasa and Armin were looking over to one side. Rolf looked as well and his eyes widened as he saw that Ian was in the jaws of a Titan, pulling a soldier who'd been in there. Ian surely had to know that doing such a thing would most likely be a death sentence, and indeed the massive hands were reaching up to him.

"Not today!" Rolf shouted as he looked at them. "Rolf trusts in the skills of she-who-could-kill-with-a-glare and more-brains-than-a-two-headed-calf-Armin-boy!" Rolf said as he fired off his hooks and shot forward to the left. "Rolf shall stop this, in the name of blanched rhubarb!"

Ian gasped as he felt his body pushed into the Titan's mouth, feeling the sharp teeth on the back of his neck, looking up as he saw the other set baring down on him. He froze in fear as he realized this was the end, feeling it more as the cold instruments of death brushed his throat. Then...they stopped. And slowly began to open.

"What?" Looking over to his side, he saw Rolf grunting as he held tightly on them pushing up with his hands and down with his feet.

"Rolf knows that Ian ordered the Son of a Shepherd to guard Eren like the stench on half-a-house-Ed-boy, but Rolf knew he could trim the turnip at the same time!" Rolf said, shoving his feet down, with a crack the Titan's jaw was forced open. Ian then slid out of the hanging tongue thanks to the slippery saliva. He fell on his back on a rooftop, grunting as tiles cracked and shattered under him. Rolf looked down at the Titan's throat and shook his head.

"Not today, teeth-sharper-then-his-head beast. Rolf will have to get out now." Rolf said, slowly trying to step back, when suddenly he heard the sound of blades digging into flesh. The Titan fell limp and tumbled to the ground. Rolf leaped out of the jaw before that and landed on the roof next to Ian and saw Mina was standing on top of the body.

"Alright, so is that two today I've saved you?" She said, as she joined him on the rooftops.

"Excellent work Mina-girl! Rolf thanks your great timing in this matter." Rolf said, before Ian shouted out.

"Hey, chat later! Rolf I may be grateful that you saved my life but you left Eren open!" He said, pointing to the large Titan, the only thing standing between Eren and the hole. Rolf looked back.

"Don't worry, Ian-boss! For Rolf shall expel the intruder like a fox in Rolf's henhouse!" Rolf said, leaping down and firing off a hook towards Eren. Digging it into the ground, he shot a burst of gas to speed up towards the Titan. Landing on the ground, the boost allowed him to shoot past Mikasa who was moving in. "Rolf shall handle this miscreant!"

Charging in, Rolf shot his hooks up at the Titan and squeezed on the gas trigger as hard as he could, sending him flying as fast as possible towards it. "Out of the way urchin of processed cheese spread!" he shouted, lowering his head down and ramming into it as fast as he could. Kicking off of it, he watched it go soaring back out into the hole in the Wall. Rolf grunted as he landed hard on the ground, rolling to a stop.

Slowly sitting up, Rolf looked back and saw that Eren was right there. With a mighty roar, Eren's Titan body swung the boulder down right in front of the hole, sealing the breach.

Rolf sat back down and looked up at the now plugged hole. Rolf grinned and raised an arm triumphantly as he leaned back.

"Hah hah! Eren-boy, Rolf sees that you have succeeded in honoring all of our ancestors today!" Rolf shouted with a grin as he saw a trail of yellow smoke flying up into the air, signaling to all their victory.

* * *

 **AN: So, now we've got a chapter written down after a lot of talk and discussion about change and plot differences...by not deviating from the original plot very much. Hmm…**

 **But don't worry, things do not and won't stay static. After all, the butterfly effect does start with just butterfly flaps, you don't get the hurricane until later.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, another action heavy one with our favorite toon bruiser, and hope you can't wait for the next one!**

 **Also, to my readers on Fanfiction, I would like to let you know I did do a very minor rewrite of chapters 3 and 4. If you don't reread them, you wont' really lose anything, but I would suggest you do so. Helps flesh out Rolf's relationships with the other recruits a bit more.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

As Rolf laid back after Eren sealed up the Wall, he heard the sound of a hook being launched nearby him, with Ian calling out more orders after having wiped himself off from early being devoured.

"Alright everyone good job! Now let's look alive, there's still Titans everywhere." Ian said, as Rolf leaped back up to his feet. Ian then looked up at Eren's Titan body, which had slumped down on its knees after placing the bolder, still and motionless. "What's the hold up?"

Armin was standing up on Eren's shoulders, tugging at his actual body from the nape of its neck. He was tugging at him, while Mikasa ran up and shot herself up at him, lending next to Armin.

"He's stuck to the carcass! I can't get him loose!" Armin cried out. Rico, who had been off helping with fighting off Titans landed on the shoulder next to Mikasa.

"Then we'll have to cut him loose." She said, bringing her swords up.

Mikasa's eyes widened. "We can't, we don't know what will happen!"

"Pardon the interruption." Rolf said, having left Ian and landing up there. "Allow Rolf to assist in the freeing of heroic Eren-boy, yes?"

After Armin got away from the side, Rolf wrapped his hands around Eren's torso and with a grunt yanked Eren as hard as he could, tearing the bits of flesh connecting Eren to the Titan body with ease. Rolf cradled the unconscious Eren in his arms, looking back at his friends.

"There, easy as peeling a splinter from the hindquarters of a louse."

"Excellent, because now it's time to go!" Ian shouted out, landing on Eren's Titan body as two Titans began to tower over the group.

Rolf dropped Eren into the arms of Armin and grinned back at Ian, stepping forward. "Nonsense! Rolf can handle two measly beasts as this!"

Rolf leaped from Eren's Titan body and shot himself up towards the one on the left. Letting out a cry, he swung up, his foot lashing out to connect underneath its jaw, making it look up. Rolf landed on its back, using the two blades to take out its weak spot.

However, Rolf wasn't done with its body, leaping off and grabbing its wrist. Hooking onto Eren's body,

he swung around, and turned his whole body, making the Titan body fling around on its feet, crashing face first into the other one.

Rolf and the dead Titan fell, the still standing Titan wobbling back. But before Rolf could start attacking, Rolf heard another hook fire out, and in a flash of light and glimmering metal, the Titan was dead. Rolf barely got a glimpse at it, but then as the Titan fell dead, the person landed on its body. Rolf recognized the symbol on the man's cloak as that of the Survey Corp.

"Pay attention kids." The man said, looking back at Rolf and everyone else on Eren's now almost fully decayed back, then back to Rolf. "This is the part here you explain what I am looking at and what exactly it was that you just did."

By now Eren had regained consciousness and was looking over at him. "The Wings...of Freedom..." He muttered groggily.

"Ah, you're awake now." Rolf said, returning to Eren, sheathing his swords. "Now then, as Rolf promised to Eren-boy." Rolf said, before swinging his boot he had taken off and was holding down at Eren's face, smacking into him hard, much to the stunned faces of Armin, Mikasa, Ian, and Rico.

"All is forgiven!"

* * *

The rest of the next day was spent clearing out the remains of the Titan infestation. Most of the Titans were standing close to the Wall, allowing the Garrison to kill most with explosive cannon shells, firing ceaselessly. What few that remained in the city after the smoke cleared was cut down by the returning Survey Corp. Not only that, but two Titans had even been captured, allowing for study and research on them.

After this battle had concluded, Rolf had heard that Eren was taken away, and that there had been much deliberation if the same was to happen to him. However, seeing as he was a human just with freakishly inhuman strength he would stay and help with the other cadets cleaning up. Rolf had at first been relieved to hear this.

Until he saw what he was helping clean up.

"Rolf...Rolf cannot stand this..." Rolf said, eyes wide. He was in his cadet uniform, just with a pair of gloves and a small bandanna covering his mouth and nose. He was staring down at what had been a person, someone living, maybe even someone he'd recognize. However, a good chunk of his torso and half of his head were just...gone.

Standing next to him was his friend Mina, her own eyes wide and her body nearly shaking as she looked down at it.

"My friends...our team...they're just like him..." She slowly said. "I...was almost just like him..."

Rolf looked down at her, feeling his own heart hammer. In his mind, the memories of that cadet he saw getting eaten by a Titan...the blood on the rooftops around Mina...and all day he'd been walking among the dead. Rolf took a breath and shook his head.

"Mina-girl...come we must do our job as assigned." Rolf said slowly, getting on his knees and reaching for the dead body. But as he reached for it, he just...couldn't. He'd handled plenty of dead animal carcasses in his time on his family farm but a person was just different. A person shouldn't look like a slaughtered sheep.

"Y-You're right." She said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "We have our orders...and it's best for his sake that he not be left here."

"Right. Rolf has this." He said, taking another breath and picking up the body, walking over to the cart where he saw a large number of similar bodies were piled up. Rolf had heard the casualty numbers: 198. 198 people had ended up just like this.

 _Rolf will not allow for this to happen. Rolf will not stand for these people to have become sheep chops!_

* * *

The cleanup had gone on for several days, and soon Rolf was sitting inside the mess hall after a hard day's work. The task had not been physically straining on him like many others. He was used to this kind of hard work and clean up, it was almost indistinguishable from what the Urban Rangers did all the time.

However, mentally, it was one of the most taxing experiences he'd ever been through. Training was a breeze, even if using the gear was a bit hard, and Titans were little more than weaklings to knock over. Cleaning up the dead? It was something he was not ready for, and was sure he'd never be ready for. Looking off to the side, he could see that the same could be said of his friends. The sullen faces of Jean, Mikasa, Armin, even Sasha and Mina. Rolf dipped his spoon in the soup he was eating and tried to forget about it.

That's when the door opened and in stepped three soldiers, who judging by the muskets they held where part of the Military Police. The one in the middle held a sheet of paper and began to speak up.

"Cadets Armin Arlelt, Mikasa Ackerman, and Rolf Yonnick, hop to!" The soldier said. Rolf, Mikasa, and Armin where quick to stand up. "You are ordered to attend, and act as witnesses, at today's deliberation!"

"Deliberation?" Rolf asked, somewhat confused. Mina, who was sitting next to him looked up.

"Didn't you hear? They're gonna decide what to do with Eren today..."

"Decide? What is there to decide, yes? Eren-boy is a hero who was able to seal the Wall tighter than the clogs caused by Victor's shed hair."

After shuddering a bit from that pleasant image, Mina continued. "Lots of people are scared about him and well...they don't know what to do."

* * *

Rolf, Mikasa, and Armin were quickly led to a courthouse, being shuffled into one of the stands. In the stands stood other soldiers, Rolf recognizing Ian and Rico, who were all standing at attention. The three arrived and followed. Across from them sat regular people, some people who were dressed as priests from the Wall Cult, and a group of Military Police.

 _Rolf does not understand. What is the big humdy hum about Eren-boy? Why through a fancy pants court room showing for him?_

Soon Rolf saw Eren being led in, escorted by two Military Police, poking and prodding him with their muskets. Rolf narrowed his eyes at them, not liking how they were treating his friend. They forced him to get on his knees, and then put a large metal rod in between his cuffed hands, not allowing him to move.

Then on the other side near the front of the courthouse, another door opened and in walked a person Rolf and every other soldier in the room recognized: Commander-in-Chief Darius Zackly, the supreme leader and highest ranked officer in the entire military. The fact that he was overseeing this meant that it was a very serious case.

After taking off his jacket and sitting down, Zackly looked up. "Alright, shall we begin?" Picking up the papers and adjusting his glasses, Zackly began to read from it. "Your name is Eren Jaeger, and as a soldier you have sworn to give up your life if called to, for the good of the people. Is that correct?"

After Eren confirmed this he went on to explain that, ultimately, Eren's life rested in his hands. He explained that it was impossible to cover up his existence now, and that no matter what happened they faced the risk of widespread civil unrest. He also explained that two branches of the military wanted custody: the Military Police, and the Scout Regiment. After this, he turned it over to the Military Police to state their claim.

"Thank you. My name is Nile Dok, and I am the Commander of the Military Police. Our recommendation, following a thorough investigation of his physiology: Subject Eren Jaeger should be disposed of immediately."

After hearing that, from the words of one of the highest commands in the military, second only to Zackly himself and equal to that of the other two commanders, like Dot Pixis, certainly caused Rolf to feel uneasy. He gripped his hands tightly behind his back as he heard that recommendation. He'd been in the company of death for these past few days, and the idea one of his friends may face it…

"We acknowledge that Jaeger's ability played a part in turning back the latest Titan incursion," Dok continued. "However, as has been stated, his mere existence is causing a swell of rebellious sentiment. For the greater good, after we gather all the information that we can from him, we would see him made a fallen warrior for humanity."

As he finished, one of the Wall Cultists spoke up angrily, but Rolf was too busy in thought to hear what he said.

 _Rolf does not understand! Why is Eren-boy making people lose their coolness? Rolf never caused anything when Rolf used his mighty muscles, and what would killing him carry out?! No, Rolf will not see Eren killed!_

Now it was the Scout Regiment's turn.

"Yes, sir. As the Commander of the Survey Corps I, Erwin Smith, propose the following: let Eren join our ranks, reinstate him as a full member of the scouts, and we will utilize his Titan abilities to retake Wall Maria. That is all."

After coming to terms with the fact that not only was Zackly here, all the major Commanders were here as well, including Pixis who was standing elsewhere, effectively meaning that the four highest ranked members of the military where in one room, Rolf was relieved to hear this.

 _Finally, someone makes a good plan! Surely the trial shall end with something so sensible from large in the eyebrows Commander Smith._ However, when Rolf looked to his right, he saw that Armin and Mikasa did not look nearly as relieved. In fact, they looked like they just heard something...well, something he'd normally say to them.

There was also a lot of whispering in the crowd after this, with Zackly asking if that was all and that it was quite bold. And he also asked how they would do this, seeing as the southern wall was sealed up. After explaining they'd go from the east around the Wall and then south.

That is when everything suddenly went wrong. One of the merchants across from the way loudly dismissed it, claiming that they should just seal up all of the walls exits, with one of the Survey Corp soldiers arguing back that they could use Eren to retake Wall Maria. This went back and forth, with even Captain Levi, the soldier who had found them just after sealing the Wall Rolf had been told, getting in on it. Then after that the Wall Cultist spoke up again, claiming that such reinforcements was blasphemy.

Rolf resisted the urge to just rub his head in pain. He was just a simple Son of a Shepherd, so in his mind Erwin's idea was just simply easy to see as the best...and of course it meant that Eren would live. Fortunately it came to an end with Zackly ordering them to stop this argument. However, after regaining control of the court, he asked if Eren could control his form. Once reassured, he then brought up a startling report.

"Just after transforming, it seems you made an attempt to crush Mikasa Ackerman." Eren Jaeger had his eyes widened and he looked back over at Mikasa in surprise.

Rolf widened his eyes, realizing how bad that would look, having forgotten about that incident. He looked to his right and saw Mikasa shooting Rico and Ian her signature "stare of a thousand hungry badgers" as he called it.

"What did you expect, me to lie in the report?" Rico demanded not backing down. Ian sighed and nodded.

"As much as I might not like the implication or what it could mean, she is right. We can't let our personal feelings get in the way of our duty." He said. "Still...I feel if this costs Eren his life, it may have been an error." Ian mumbled, as Zackly spoke up.

"In fact, it seems that she very well may not have survived if it weren't for the actions of Cadet Rolf Yonnick, who's report is almost as hard to believe as Eren Jaeger's." He said, before clearing his throat. "Supposedly, Rolf Yonnick was able to knock Eren back and down for a moment, then held him to the boulder on his own."

Hearing that, Rolf looked around, seeing a large number of eyes drawn over to their stand, with a lot of whispering.

"Oh that is just preposterous! A lone cadet holding off a massive Titan like that? It's just not possible!" One of the civilians shouted out loud.

"Yes, it does sound like quite a fairy tale. But so does this cadet before us transforming into our most hated enemy and playing a role in saving Trost, doesn't it?" Zackly said. "Besides, we do have many witnesses speaking up about Cadet Yonnick's strength, so there is no doubt he could have done it. But now that begs the question. Who are these Rolf Yonnick and Mikasa Ackerman?"

"I am Rolf, yes sir." Rolf spoke up.

"Me, that would be me, sir." Mikasa added, not letting her eyes off Rico and Ian.

"Alright Mikasa, is it true that Eren assaulted you while he was in Titan form?" After hearing him ask that, Mikasa tore her gaze to Eren's widened eyes, Rolf hearing Rico telling her to answer honestly.

"Yes...all of that's true." She forced out. This caused a maddening whisper to sweep the audience, many whispering how Eren was the enemy after all. Rolf could barely look at Eren however, who looked so devastated at hearing what he'd done.

"Settle down. Now, Rolf Yonnick, is it true you were also able to hold Eren off and protect Mikasa, all using your own strength? And I mean that literally, with your bare arms, no exaggeration."

"Rolf does agree that what has been reported on was true. Rolf was almost ready to thrash Eren with a three shoe beating before being thrown about like a pig's mud on bath day." Rolf said, which actually caused the courtroom to go silent and stare at him. However, it was just as much from confusion as it was surprise at what he did.

Mikasa was quick to take advantage of the silence and speak up, stating that Eren had saved her life twice before then, once from a Titan and another from cannon fire, asking for them to take that into consideration.

"Objection!" Came the loud voice of Nile Dox. "I have reason to believe personal feelings play a large part in her testimony." It was then that Nile gave the court her backstory, how she was orphaned at a young age and that she was adopted by the Jaeger family. However, he also brought up that they had stabbed three adult kidnappers to death at a young age.

Hearing this news did in fact shock Rolf, who remembered that at that age he was spending his time as a "care free, good for nothing youth". Nile went on to claim that, while it was legitimate self-defense, it possibly showed how violent the two were and that they were not worth investing in because of it.

 _Rolf supposes that does explain a few things about hot-tempered-Eren-boy._ Rolf thought, looking over at Eren a bit differently. _Still...Eren is Rolf's friend, and Rolf shall not change that. Rolf knows Eren is only after Titan-blood._

However, Nile's speech had rallied the crowd on his side, who began to speculate. In fact, some began to claim that Mikasa might be one too, and this got Eren to yell at them too. Rolf in fact would not stand for that.

"You petulant swine, Rolf dares you to accuse Rolf's friend that again when she-with-the-bite-of-a-deadly-wolf is not even on this sham of a trial!" Rolf said, raising his fist, glaring at the now more frightened man.

That was when Eren began shouting against them, calling them cowards that should let him fight for them if they wouldn't instead. His outburst then silenced the room.

It was then that Nile turned to one of the soldiers next to him, telling him to aim. That was it.

"Rolf has had enough!" He shout, grabbing the pedestal and getting ready to jump over. "White in the beard Premier Zackly has final word on Eren-boy, not you! Rolf swears if you don't put your blasting-stick away, Rolf will present a merciless thrashing with it on you!"

Nile widened his eyes and looked back. "Wait...you're the kid who assaulted two soldiers as a child those years ago...only someone with your strength could do so at that age."

"Rolf did, yes, Rolf was protecting Rolf's potatoes from the lazy thieves in uniform, and if must, Rolf shall do it again." Rolf said with a glare, making the musket armed soldier waver again.

"While said in a rather abrupt way, Rolf does make a point." Zackly said, glaring back at Nile. "No one said to fire. Eren may have been brash, but he spoke up his want to help us."

"But sir...he was getting angry, who knows what that would've done." Nile defended, before hearing the voice of Levi again.

"That's silly...after all, you guys just want to dissect him." He brought up, pointing out a fatal flaw in their plan that silenced Nile. "He's an intelligent and deadly fighter, taking on twenty Titans. And it seems he's got a friend ho can take on as many without a Titan form. Is there anyone in your little group who could take him out if you wanted. Because I can."

Levi was quick to bring up his impressive Titan kill record, which allowed Commander Erwin to speak up with a new proposition: Eren be placed under the strict supervision of Captain Levi, and that they'd conduct a recon mission with the results being the proof that Eren was on their side, and that should Eren lose control Levi would kill him. However, the Military Police were still not done.

"I would like to propose an added part of this agreement. Some insurance that the Military Police can handle Eren ourselves if need be." Nile said, trying to reassert some semblance of control after getting threatened by a cadet. Said cadet is who Commander Dox pointed to. "The Military Police would like Cadet Yonnick to join us. His training scores placed him in the top ten of his class so he would've been able to join anyways, and with his strength he could also take down Eren himself. Just in case the unthinkable happens and Captain Levi is unable to put him down."

"An interesting proposal. Is the Survey Corp fine with this exchange?" Zackly asked. Erwin looked over to Rolf for a moment, before turning back.

"As much as we feel that Rolf would also be a tremendous help, I can see the position of the Military Police, and so I accept."

"Very well. Of course, the final decision also comes down to Rolf. Rolf is not under arrest, and is still a soldier with the right to choose his regiment. So, Rolf Yonnick, will you join the Military Police?"

Rolf's eyes widened in surprise. He remembered before the Battle of Trost, he'd wanted to join the Military Police. But so much had happened since then that he really hadn't had time to think about that. He'd been terrified of seeing more dead like before, but with how he fought them he could save more lives. Rolf looked back to Ian thinking that if he weren't there, Ian's head would've been among the piles of the dead. But, if it meant that Eren would live…

"Rolf shall."

"Very well then. Eren Jaeger will join the scouts under close guard until the next recon mission. Meanwhile, Rolf Yonnick shall also join the Military Police." With that he slammed his arm down, ending the trial.

* * *

As everyone left the courthouse, Nile Dox sighed to relieve some of the stress. That went much worse than he'd expected, and he was still not entirely happy with the results. Still, he had been able to get away with some control of the situation, so it wasn't a total lose.

As he turned around, however, what little enthusiasm he still had left vanished when he saw who was standing in the corner, partially hidden by the shadows. He was in a black jacket, black boots, and a large black hat that hid his face.

"So, Ah heard that you was in fact able ta make it out with at least one ah the kids. That's superb." He said, with a hint of sarcasm in his face, flicking his hat up and looking at Nile.

"What is it you want?" Nile asked, crossing his arms.

"A'm here with orders from the higher-ups. Seems they've taken a liking ta this Rolf fella. An fact, they sure want him in ma group." The man said swiftly.

"What, already? But he's just a cadet who we barely were able to get to join us." Nile argued.

"Look, Ah don't care much fer it either, Ah'm not a fan of lettin' just anyone join without ma consent, 'specially one Ah don't know anythin' 'bout beforehand, but like Ah said, orders're orders."

"It's so interesting hearing that coming from you, of all people." Nile said, rubbing his eyes. "Look...it's just too early. If anyone at all catches wind that a cadet is joining with your squad so soon, even if it is someone as strong as Rolf is, the wrong questions might be getting asked." Nile countered. "Just ask for some time, let him become more accentuated in the Military Police. He's a little fiery as is, and after some time in the MP he'll learn how things are." Nile said quickly.

The man stayed leaning there for a moment, looking down before looking up with a grin that was even more unsettling then his earlier scowl. "Ya make a good point. Ah suppose Ah can convince them of that." He stood up and began walking for the door, waving as he did. "Sure is lotsa fun chattin' with ya, "boss"."

Nile took a relieved sigh after he left. "I hate dealing with him."

* * *

After the trying courtroom battle, Armin, Mikasa, and especially Rolf had been strongly recommended to not tell anyone else Rolf's true reasoning for joining the Military Police. They wouldn't say why it was, but Armin had figured it was because they wanted to milk everything out of Rolf, claiming they could use the so called "Human Titan" freely joining the Military Police as a boost for their image.

"Rolf does not appreciate being squeezed like the udder of a cow." Rolf had responded but went along with it.

With that said, Rolf had not been looking forward to returning to cleanup duty. Thankfully by the time he returned to work, almost all the bodies had been cleared out, with only maybe a small part being found on occasion. It was relatively easy for Rolf to convince himself the blood smears he was mopping up was actually paint, even if deep down it continued to disgust him.

Soon, the last bodies were gathered and the soldiers were allowed to pay their final respects as a mass number of funeral pyres were built to burn the bodies. There were too many to burn individually, and most were to mangled to even be recognized, so they were made into large piles and burned.

It was a very somber night for everyone involved. Rolf stood there watching some of the people he'd known for the last three years burned to ash in front of his eyes. He didn't personally know many of them really, but he still knew of them, had lived with them, trained with them. He felt his heart ache as he saw them. Looking around, he could see some were breaking down, like Connie, sobbing their eyes out. Others looked downright defeated as they saw this. Even Jean was kneeling before the fires.

Looking down next to him, Rolf could see Mina crying as she held onto one of the blackened bones that had fallen out.

"I'm s-so sorry...I didn't help...I should've...but I didn't..." She sobbed as she held on tightly. Rolf sat next to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

That's when Jean stood up and looked over at them, looking terrified yet determined as he spoke up.

"Hey guys. Have you chosen yet? Which Regiment you're gonna join. 'Cause...I have." He said, shakily holding his hand as he said he was joining the Survey Corp, his voice a quivering mess as if he didn't quite believe it himself. He slowly started to fight back his fearful sobs as he admitted it.

Rolf looked up at him, slowly standing up. Rolf wasn't sure what he could say. His choice was made up, but it wasn't entirely his, so he didn't know what he would say. So he put his hand on Jean's shoulder, giving him a small smile.

"Rolf sees the bravery of a mighty rooster beneath the shivering feathers of a hen, yes long-in-the-face-Jean-boy." Rolf said. "Rolf is certain Jean has made the right call, if that is your true choice, yes?"

* * *

They had continued cleaning up the last of the battlefield for several days, and soon it was the day to choose their Regiment. Mina had pestered him about how the trial went all day. Rolf had not told her of his part of the deal, but he did say everything else that had happened.

"You threatened the commander of the Military Police in front of the Premier, when a musket was already drawn?!" Mina exclaimed when Rolf and her were heading back from the barracks towards the mess hall for breakfast.

"Eren-boy was in danger, besides Rolf could not sit and let him be dishonored like that, chained like a heckled sow after she'd been weened of her piglets." Rolf shrugged.

"I don't know if you're brave or stupid, probably both." She shook her head, as they kept walking by, but stopping when a group of soldiers walked to them.

"Cadets, all soldiers are to meet up at the barracks immediately with your Maneuver Gear." He ordered them.

"What, why is that? What's wrong?" Mina asked him before they left.

"Someone killed the two Titan test subjects. We have to find out who's responsible."

The two were surprised as they walked back to the barracks after grabbing their gear, waiting for inspection.

"Rolf has no shortage of confusion these past couple of yesterdays. Why would someone slay the strung up beasts of testing?"

"Well I guess it's nice to see you as confused as we usually are around you." Mina said. "But it's kinda obvious, I think. After a...traumatic fight like that, I can understand if someone would want to get some payback on them. I...know I would."

"...Rolf understands." Rolf said, looking down at her gripping her hands tightly.

* * *

After everyone got checked up, as evening drew near, the cadets all waited by the platform that was where the different commanders would ask the cadets which regiment they would join. As Rolf and Mina walked over to their friends they talked about it.

"I know I said I'd join the Survey Corp...but after seeing all that death right in front of me, my squad, and all I could do was get smacked around." She sighed. "I'm sorry, but the Garrison it is."

"Rolf understands, Rolf sees the value in joining them still. After all, every flock needs a shepherd who stays close to the sheep." Rolf nodded.

"Still, I'm surprised you're going with the MP. I mean, with your strength you'd be way better than anyone else at fighting Titans, and you seemed ready to fight more of them."

"Rolf...knows, and it was a trying challenge for Rolf. But Rolf can still do good in the Military Police. Rolf is not doing it to avoid fighting, Rolf can assure pigtails-Mina-girl."

"I suppose. Still, I bet it's partially because of the meat." She said, trying to inject a little humor in the still solemn atmosphere, especially as they arrived.

As the night fell, Rolf stood by the group of other recruits who'd joined the Military Police, which at this point consisted only of himself. Rolf didn't want to make too big of a scene in front of the others, so he stayed back as Commander Erwin took the stage, and began to talk.

"Rolf needs to thank brilliant-in-strategy-and-massive-in-the-wise-brow Erwin for helping Rolf with Eren-boy." Rolf said to himself, but then came the moment where the cadets where to choose. Not surprisingly, the vast majority left. Rolf saw Mina walk away as well, heading towards the Garrison group. He also saw then that Annie was walking back towards him. Rolf walked up to her.

"Well, Rolf is glad to see you as well, Annie-girl. At least Rolf has a familiar face among the Military Police." Rolf said, to her straight face, before she looked away.

"Funny, I pictured you'd be the kind of idiot to join the scouts. I guess I'm not the only one thinking with my head." She said, looking back at the remaining scouts.

And much to Rolf's surprise all of his friends besides Mina where still there. Saluting and joining the Survey Corp. They were shaking and even Rolf could tell it was a tough choice, but they did it. Rolf couldn't help but grin a little at it, crossing his arms.

"Rolf cannot help but bask in the glowing pride of such brave tomfoolery." Rolf said, with a grin. "Rolf is sure proud of Rolf's friends."

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Extra long chapter from me today, because it has been a bit of a wait, and this chapter has more copied from the episodes as is so I thought I'd toss in something extra too.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Rolf was laying in his new bed within the interior, relaxing quite well in the bed as he felt the most comfortable bed he'd been in ever since he'd found himself trapped in this world. He was curled up in the bed, rolling onto his side as he felt a soft warmth on his cheek. This stirred him from his sleep, slowly opening his eyes. Sitting up, Rolf gave a yawn, stretching as he looked around in the spacious room he'd been given. It wasn't like the barracks that he'd been used to at camp but more spacious and the beds were certainly better. It still had several bunk beds so it wasn't as if he had a room to his own, but still it was a luxury compared to what he'd had to deal with all this time.

Smacking his lips as he wiped his eyes, Rolf shielded his eyes from the morning sun-

…

"The sun!" Rolf shouted before slipping out of his bed as he panicked and tried to force his bed sheets away. This was his first day as a member of the elite Military Police, and he had slept in. As Rolf was grabbing for his uniform and tossing his pajamas off, he couldn't help but mentally hit himself.

 _How can you be such a nincompoop, son of a shepherd?! Rolf never misses a good morning howdy do with commanders! Oh Rolf begs for the mercy of the commander's belt!_ Rolf thought to himself.

In the commotion of scrambling to put on his uniform, Rolf heard someone else stirring. Looking up behind him on the bottom bunk below his, he saw one of his new squadmates: Marlowe Freudenberg. The boy stirred as he rubbed his eyes looking over at Rolf scrambling.

"Ugh...Rolf right? What are you doing?" He asked, before he also noticed the sunlight. As his eyes widened, Rolf nodded.

"Marlowe-with-hair-of-a-clay-bowl, we have persisted the persecution of the rooster, our tardiness shall surely represent the reddening of our behinds!" Rolf said as Marlowe also got out of bed, muttering as he ran to his uniform. As the two boys were almost finished a shrill voice shouted from one of the top bunk beds.

"Will you two shut up?!" Came the slightly groggy voice of another squadmate of Rolf's: Hitch Dreyse. Her hair was a mess from sleep as she looked through half closed eyes. "I was still sleeping here."

"Oh come on Hitch, we're already late! We have to get out now!" Marlowe said, before Hitch just rolled her eyes and fell back into her bed. "Yeah, whatever."

The two boys were quick to rush out of the barracks down the stairs and into the main hall. However the only ones waiting there was one of the other squadmates but one Rolf knew already: Annie Leonhart. Looking around Rolf was a bit confused, although next to him Marlowe stopped as if he had been deflated.

"...Where is everyone else? Surely the sun has not risen extra early in the day, yes?" Rolf asked Annie, who just shrugged. Rolf and Marlowe slowly walked over to the wall and stood next to her as they waited for their supposed orders. Rolf looked back over to Annie. "So...why not help a son of a shepherd and awake him if you saw that Rolf had still been sleeping like a lazy loaf on an oak stump?" He asked.

"It's not my job to wake you up." Annie said, straight and coldly not even sparing Rolf a glance. Rolf shook his head.

"Come now, she-with-the-grin-rarer-then-the-bald-spot-on-papa's-back, surely we've come past the whole shtick of meeting me with naught but silence and the glare of a hungry predator locked on a chicken?" Rolf asked, which just lead to Annie ignoring him. Of course next to him, Marlowe couldn't help but stare a bit open-eyed at Rolf's rather...particular speech.

"Um...wait what did you say?" He asked Rolf.

"Rolf would appreciate if Marlowe-boy would not interject himself into the conversations of Rolf like a hungry sow shoving others aside at the trough." Rolf said, shaking his head. Marlowe just blinked several times as he tried to piece together what Rolf was saying.

With Annie's enforced silence and Marlowe's confusion over Rolf, the three just stood there in silence. Slowly, one by one the other new recruits would trickle down the stairs and stood there. Rolf was confused as to what was going on. Back in training, their sergeant would flay them alive if they so much as showed up a minute late, but here it had to have been at least an hour and a half and their commanding officer had yet to show up. Eventually they heard the clacking of boots on the wood floor, and they all saluted. Rolf looked over at the approaching officer who was absent-mindedly looking at some papers as he passed by them. Looking up he seemed almost confused for a second.

"Hmm? Oh right, uh dismissed." He said, looking over particularly to Rolf and Annie. "Right we got you two late cause of that whole thing in Trost District." He said, before looking down at his papers. "Uh...well here are some patrols that you guys have to do today. Nothing out of the ordinary, so these guys can show it to you without me. Just standard stuff, report back on time, dismissed." He said halfheartedly before continuing down the hall. As Rolf looked at him closely, he saw a suspicious bottle in his right hand.

"...Right, come on guys let's get going." Marlowe said quickly. "We gotta show Annie and Rolf the patrol routes." He said as the others slowly and quietly groaned before following him out of the barracks.

* * *

Rolf was slowly walking along with the rest of the squad, his musket resting on the strap around his arm. He looked around at the interior city. It certainly looked much nicer than the towns he'd been in before. Albeit the only times that had been was when he was a refugee and bringing what meager crops to market that had been farmed, but those still paled. Here it was much cleaner, not many vagrants were running around, and everyone looked well dressed and went along with their business.

Needless to say, this was not the land for Rolf.

Rolf just kept walking around, trying to keep an eye out for any ne'er-do-wells, but there was nothing of particular note. Besides him, Hitch was walking with her hands behind her head as she didn't really seem to care much about the patrol.

"Hey Marlowe, think we can just finish early when we get to the end of the street?" She asked, to which Marlowe shook his head.

"Of course not. Annie and Rolf are still new and we gotta show them the whole patrol route so they can become accustomed to it." He said, keeping his eyes forward.

"Oh come oooooon. It's not like they're gonna ever do the whole patrol again after this anyways, so what's the point?" She whined, which caused Rolf to look over confused.

"Pardon Rolf's interruption, but why does she-with-the-shrill-of-a-cat say Rolf won't complete the full roundabout of servitude?" Rolf asked. After a quick moment of thinking on what he said, Hitch answered.

"Well...cause we really don't have to. Unless we're given a specific job we kinda just have to walk around for a bit and then go do whatever we wanna. Not like our officers are gonna do jack about it."

"What is this lazy oafishness, huh?" Rolf said, not liking what he heard. "We were tasked an important to do list of which we are always supposed to listen to the instructions of those higher above us! What lazy nimrod doesn't do as they say? Rolf swears, aren't we supposed to be the ones higher and above the rest, trained for the best of the jobs assigned?" Rolf loudly declared. Which after a minute only caused Hitch to break out into hysterical laughing.

"Hahahahahahahahahahah!" She laughed, bending over from it. "Man, and here you were starting to sound like another total buzz kill! But man is that stupid way you talk just the funniest thing ever when you talk about that!" She said between her chuckles.

"Wha-You dare mock the son of a shepherd?!" Rolf said, glaring down at her. Before he could show her the errors of her ways, Marlowe got between the two.

"Alright, cool it will you?" He said, glaring at them both. "Hitch, we're finishing the patrol, you got it?" He said, before turning back to Rolf. "And Rolf...she is right to an extent." He sighed before speaking up. "So far we haven't exactly had a lot of oversight and they all seemed too busy doing whatever they want to make us do our job. But I still think that we should do what we're supposed to, as that's our job."

"Really? Cause I joined the military police to live it up easy." Hitch said. And as Rolf looked over at the others, he saw a lot of the others in his squad were nodding their head in agreement.

* * *

The day had continued on pretty easily. Too easily. After the patrol had been finished the squad just stood around near the markets to "guard" it as they did nothing. Rolf spent that time going back over the patrol route to make sure he'd memorized it, but even that didn't take too long.

Eventually the sun had started to set and the squad had returned to the barracks and returned their muskets before getting their dinner. This was the one time during the day that Rolf actually had a pleasant time. He had been given a nice slab of meat and Rolf had practically inhaled it, much to the disgust and shock of everyone in the squad who wasn't Annie.

"Well...lemme guess, you like meat, huh?" Hitch asked, to which Rolf looked over at her with half crazed eyes...specifically on the pieces on her plate. "...You know, I wasn't that hungry anyways." She said, cutting it in half and tossing one half at Rolf. The son of a shepherd caught it in his mouth and swallowed it in two bites. That was when he looked over to Annie's plate.

"...You touch my plate I will break your arm." She said, without breaking stride in eating.

"Oh hoh, like that time when Rolf flattened you to the Earth and made you eat nothing but the dust of shame and defeat?" He said with a smirk. Annie just looked up at him, but then reconsidered and rolled her eyes before finishing up her meal.

"So what, were you the big shot of your division or something?" Marlowe asked, having sat on the far end of the table and away from the hungry eyes of Rolf.

"Well Rolf did impress with the many daring feats of doing well and the hunkering of the flat-footed others who couldn't so much as lift a little mole in comparison to the son of a shepherd." Rolf said, grinning a bit.

* * *

Returning to the barracks, most of the rookies were content to end their day heading to bed and sleeping off another easy day like they expected the rest of their lives to be. Rolf, however, was simply not sleepy. Even compared to his easy days back in the cul-de-sac, this wasn't nearly as hard a day as he was used to. He was still wide awake and didn't feel an ounce of fatigue.

Groaning, Rolf sat up and focused ahead of him, looking out in the darkened barracks. He wasn't supposed to leave now until the morning, but he was so awake and he felt so disappointed with how his first day had gone. He'd slept in but gotten no punishment for it, done his work so easily but now had learned that it was basically meaningless. Earlier on when he had nothing else to do, he'd asked their commanding officer when they would do some training or Maneuver Gear exercises and he'd been looked at as if he'd had enraged lobsters all over his backside.

Or...at least more than normal.

So they weren't being trained and they were safeguarding the safest city around. Why were they, the elite and best, here?

 _Rolf supposes that Ben Fischer wanted things to go easily for Rolf...but Rolf saw what those Titan beasts where like. Rolf is only here for a bargain so that Eren-boy could continue his own little revenge tantrum through those disgusting titans._ Rolf thought. _Rolf should be out with him, flying through the air and smashing into titans like in Trost land. Helping save them from those rascals! Rolf gritted his hands._

 _Instead Rolf will be here to grow fat and lazy all while Rolf could be giving them a merciless thrashing to their dumb behinds!_ No! _Rolf will not ruin the memories and talents gained here, Rolf will be taking these hands and molding them. And Rolf will make sure that the elite blades stay sharpened for the eventual slaughter!_

"This is Rolf's promise to you all!" Rolf shouted, raising his fist into the air...forgetting that right across from him was Hitch and several other sleeping soldiers.

"Oh for the love of-Rolf what is it with you and not shutting up?!"

* * *

The next day had started off similarly for the rookies as the rest of them. They'd received their orders (or in this case just been told to do the usual) and had made their way through the patrol. Or at least halfway through it as this time Marlowe couldn't convince the rest of the squad to not just do whatever they wanted.

Later that day as most of the squad was in the marketplace getting their own lunch, Rolf had gathered them together, wanting them to follow him and that it was a surprise. With nothing really better to do, they did follow. Even Marlowe was curios, as despite how strange he was, he hadn't pegged him as someone to goof around.

Rolf had led them to the armory, where they normally would grab their muskets for patrols and where the Maneuver Gear was held should it ever actually be needed.

"Okay Rolf, what are we doing here?" Marlowe asked, as Rolf grinned and looked at them.

"An excellent question, strong-in-the-will Marlowe-boy! Rolf spoke with our resident quartermaster and Rolf was given the okay to allow us to borrow some of the gear we can use for flying by." Rolf said.

"...Erm, why?" Hitch said, still confused. "Why would we ever use them? Not like we can use them within the city limits anyways, not unless we were actually doing something."

"Ah shrill-woman-Hitch, it's for the fact that Rolf is going to keep us in tip-top shape! Rolf had discovered a place that we can do some extra training! Isn't that great?"

"...Yeah, no thanks. Look that just sounds like more work than necessary, and I didn't join the MP for that."

"C'mon Hitch, I actually think it's a great idea! It's like you said, our officers don't care about the normal crap they shovel us to do, and it's not like they could get mad at us if we're actually training instead of lazing around like everyone else." Marlowe said.

"Sorry to break it to you, but I actually prefer lazing around." She said and turned around. However she barely took a step forward when someone tugged her by her collar and picked her up.

"Oh, and Rolf forgot to mention one little fact in Rolf's idea." Rolf said, smirking as he looked at the squirming Hitch. "Everyone has to join Rolf."

* * *

 **AN: A bit of a shorter chapter yes, especially given how long the break between now and the last chapter was, but here we set up Rolf's new life as a member of the Military Police!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Will you let go of me already?!" Came the shrill voice of Hitch Dreyse as she squirmed and struggled in the arms of Rolf, unable to move in his grip. Rolf just smirked as he shook his head, walking down the road, Marlowe Freudenberg to one side of him, shaking his head and staring at Rolf with wide eyes, and Annie Leonhart to the other not looking at him.

"Oh ho, so now you wish to do as the Son of a Shepherd says? Well even if Rolf was willing to listen to the snake-words that leave your lips like the gurgling of a barber's gullet, Rolf cannot risk the others as well." He said, looking up Hitch...who was only one of seven other recruits in his arms who had also decided to see how willing Rolf was at making this little exercise mandatory.

Turns out, he was very willing.

"This is so stupid!" She complained.

"Well...I suppose this means that those rumors about you being this "Human Titan" aren't embellishments." Boris Feulner said from the edge of the group. He was the only one not squirming, figuring it wasn't really worth it. He was surprised when Rolf was able to not only outrun him while carrying six other struggling squadmates, but also keep a firm hold on him. He had decided that wasting his energy trying to escape was futile. "Who knows, maybe this'll be interesting to train with an actual Titan."

Soon enough they arrived at an old training ground, similar to the one that the various training camps use for 3DM Gear practice. It was...fairly run down. The only time it ever got any use was if some MP decided they wanted to have a little fun screwing around with 3DM Gear pretending to "train", and even then that was a rarity. Still, Rolf saw it as a good thing. An open forest naturally preserved would make for closer and more realistic training, and adding in some difficult.

Rolf unceremoniously dropped the squadmates on the ground. "Now then, assistant Marlowe!" Rolf shouted, looking back at him. He had been tasked with bringing over the 3DM Gear, seeing as Rolf was rather occupied, none of the team was willing to put them on themselves, and of course Annie outright refused to help. Marlowe softly set the equipment down on the ground, grabbing one alongside Rolf.

"Now then, Rolf says that you all shall grab some equipment. Rolf thinks a refresher on the workings of our gear would bring you back from the laze of roaches into the fluttering of a wee bird." He said, reaching back to grab the collar of Hitch's uniform as she tried to run off, then chucking her next to the pile.

"Fine, fine whatever!" She said, before grumbling angrily as she grabbed a set of gear, hooking it on. Rolf smirked, leaning back as he watched, turning over to Annie.

"Ah ah ah, that includes the she-devil-of-piercing eyes." Rolf said, wagging his finger at her. She glared death at him, but Rolf was beyond the point of even seeing that apart from anything unusual anymore. She just walked over to put one on.

After everyone else had finished grabbing and putting on their equipment, Rolf walked over to the forest's edge. "Alright then. Rolf knows that many of you are as walloped as a newborn sow digging through the mucus of Nana's turn tray, but Rolf says a simple wander roo through the shaking thistles will be great, yes? Now then, Rolf expects you all back after a pass through the sentries, barging up the passageways, and squashing the mallow." Rolf looked over everyone. Only Annie didn't have a blank expression of confusion, with Marlowe raising a hand.

"Uh...Rolf, what are we-"

"See you then!" Rolf said, before zipping away. Annie sighed and was quick to follow him. The rest of the squad looked between each other, equally confused.

"...Look, let's just go." Marlowe said, before going on, the others following him.

"I don't like the implication there that we're ever going to understand him at all!" Hitch said after having watched Annie just go along, before reluctantly following Marlowe and slinging off into the trees.

After several hours of flying through the trees, their exercise had finally finished. Rolf had to constantly back-track and guide the others on his course...which more often than not only got them more lost. And what Rolf saw was...disappointing to say the least. He'd never been the best with the 3DM Gear (in fact, of his top class, he was one of the worse and that was a big reason he hadn't made number one), but he was outpacing most of his squad and Rolf found that rather embarrassing.

After their little bout, most of the MP members were sore and uncomfortable. Rolf shook his head as he watched them all, clucking his tongue.

"Rolf is embarrassed! It has not been that long, yes? And already you stumble like a just-born cattle!" Rolf shouted, throwing his hands in the air.

"Hey, look pal!" Hitch said, rubbing her thighs. "I never expected to do that again, alright?! But no, I didn't expect to get a psycho for a teammate!" She said, laying back in the grass, groaning.

"A psycho, yes?"

"Look, I dunno where you crawled from but I have no idea what you mean when you shout at us about "sliding on a rainbow to the nether regions of a mule" or whatever else you say!"

"Well Rolf knows that she-with-the-tongue-of-an-adder will be coming back again tomorrow, unless Rolf must drag all of you again!" Rolf threatened, looking over them. They couldn't look him in the eyes, knowing he could back up his threats.

"Uh...look guys, this was just supposed to get us to warm up. And hey, food and bed will just be all the better when we get back." Marlowe said, trying to keep the peace. "Right Annie?"

Annie didn't even look up, just looking down at the ground, holding onto her equipment.

"...Right. Anyways, Rolf it's starting to get a bit late, we should probably get back."

Rolf nodded. "Alright then. Let's go!" Rolf said, smirking and getting ready to leave everyone, a collective groan coming from the rest.

* * *

On arriving back at the barracks after returning their equipment and heading to the mess hall, the rookies descended on their food like a madhouse. Those MPs already there where somewhat confused about what was going on. Normally only fresh cadets on their first day ate as if they were starved, and these certainly weren't that. Still, they mostly ignored it, not caring all too much. There was plenty to go around.

Rolf wiped his lips, smirking. "There we go, halfwits! Now feel how the food tastes much better!" Rolf said, swallowing another piece of meat. While he had lost is dependency on meat years ago, just this brief return to eating it was already reinvigorating him past what he was before.

"Look Rolf...I just wanna get some shut-eye." Hitch said, tiredly with some food in her mouth. "I haven't been worked that hard since I got here."

"Well then, Rolf sees. And Rolf agrees. Early shut-eye is important, for tomorrow Rolf has more work, yes? Goodnight!"

* * *

The rookies had crashed hard that night, shuffling into their barracks and just passing out on their bed. While the work wasn't particularly hard that day, they hadn't been expecting it, and none had been ready for it besides Rolf.

So it wasn't a particularly good feeling when Rolf woke everyone up at the crack of dawn.

"Come now, team! Rolf knows that a good jog to start the day before our patrols will freshen the cabbage for market!" Rolf said.

"Ugh...c'mon Rolf, this isn't fun. I'm still exhausted." One of his teammates complained, half asleep.

"Well, Rolf will just have to get you all out instead." He smirked.

After a surprisingly quick amount of time considering everyone was exhausted and didn't want to, the team was jogging around with Rolf outside of the barracks. Rolf was next to Marlowe, telling him about what his plans where.

"Okay, so if we finish our patrols this quickly, you think we'll have enough time to double up on our 3DM Gear training?"

"And back in time to beat the sunshine from the worn tapestry, yes!" Rolf said, grinning.

"You know Rolf, I gotta say, I'm glad you made it to our unit." Marlowe said with a grin.

* * *

It didn't take more than a few days for the team's training to kick back into action. No one but Rolf and Marlowe where at all happy about any of it (with Hitch being very vocal in her dislike every single time) but they slowly stopped complaining and just went along with it. And Rolf could notice. They were slowly starting to overcome him in how fast they used their gear.

So Rolf changed up the exercise. Now he wandered through the forest, randomly marking certain parts of various levels on some trees. This was when the complaints started out again, with Rolf getting told they will never fight Titans.

Rolf of course didn't take this excuse and after threatening to "cowbell their lingnuts with the fury of a thousand beetles" they where fine with using their blades.

Besides, what's the point of using 3DM Gear if you can't fight a Titan?

This routine was rather drilled into the rookies after a few weeks. An early jog, a strict adherence to their patrol routes and any occasional extra tasks they were given, then a lunch break, then back to working.

It was during one of these days that Rolf's team where walking towards the market after finishing up a patrol to get some lunch.

"Hitch, Rolf thinks that if you whack for the sore spot, thrusting with the mighty fist of the motherland will see a better harvest."

"Rolf, please, please tell me I am not starting to get what you're saying. Are you saying that I should try putting more effort into my swing?"

"Why yes. What else would Rolf mean?"

"...Oh this is just perfect. Now I-" She stopped, bumping into Marlowe as he just stood there. Rolf looked confused at Marlowe.

"What is it, stoic-minus-brains-Marlowe?" Rolf asked, before seeing what he was looking at. There where two MPs talking with what looked like a merchant. And next to them where several crates with the Military Police symbol on them. Marlowe gritted his hands.

"That is government equipment. And...and they're selling it!" He glared angrily.

"Yeah...corruption like this isn't exactly uncommon here." Hitch said, resting a hand on her hips. "C'mon, we should just keep going."

"What, and let them get away with it? No, here Rolf wait here for a second." He said, before gripping his musket tightly and walking over to the two MPs.

"Go Marlowe! Teach those ne'er-do-wells a lesson!" Rolf said, smirking.

"You know, those guards are going to kill him." Annie said, looking at Marlowe. "They're not just going to listen to a foolish rookie, especially on his own."

"What? But they're caught, Rolf fully expects justice to be well and truly earned." Rolf said, grinning. Which slowly fell as he saw the two brush him off, before starting to look at him angrily. Then one of them swung the butt of their musket into his gut, sending Marlowe to the floor. "...Right. Rolf has had enough."

Marlowe gasped, holding his gut as he was on his knees. He could barely look up as he saw the two raising their weapons, aiming the butts at his face.

"Look, he's one of those losers who actually does their job and tries training." He said, kicking some dust up into Marlowe's face. "I bet they're trying to make the rest of us look bad. Alright, so you think you can play the good guy huh? Well we'll see how-" He was interrupted by Rolf grabbing their shoulders and pulling them back to him.

"Rolf apologizes, but Rolf is sadly lacking a Hat of Discipline to dispense correct justice, so Rolf shall do it himself with a merciless thrashing." He said, before flipping them both backwards, sending them flipping through the air. The quickly got up, glaring.

"Okay, tough guy. How about you-" He swung his musket, but Rolf took the hit, barely flinching. Rolf smirked and swung his fist, slamming the guy backwards, holding his broken nose. At that point, the other guard gritted his teeth and rushed forward to slam his musket into Rolf's stomach, causing the Son of a Shepherd to bend over, caught off-guard, but he grabbed the back of the guard's head and slammed him into the pavement.

The first guard brought up his fists and swung them into Rolf's fist. Rolf just smirked through the punches, before throwing some of his own. However, the guard ducked and dodged, before backing up and kicking Rolf in the chest. The kick sent Rolf stumbling back, not out of pain but force. Rolf gritted his teeth and as the guard tried to kick again, Rolf took the kick and grabbed it. Smirking, he swung the guard and let go, sending him into the river. Rolf walked over to the second guard who was still laying on the ground in pain, kicking him into the water with his partner.

Marlowe grimaced as he slowly stood up, Rolf walking over to help him up, dusting off his pants and uniform. "Rolf apologizes for that." Rolf said.

"It's...fine. I...ugh, I just can't believe this happened." He said.

"And it'll happen again." Came the voice of Annie, who walked over. "They won't say what we just did, the shame of getting beaten by one rookie, as well as the chance that they might get caught are too great." She said. "But we also can't say what they did. We're too new to this, and maybe some of the higher ups would just turn a blind eye."

"What? Surely you know better than that, Annie-girl with the glaze-of-a-thousand-suns-exploding." Rolf said, looking confused.

"No, it's you who don't. Come on, let's get our food already." She said, pushing past them. The two looked at each other, before Rolf let Marlowe go to the rest.

He jogged over to Annie, tapping her on the shoulder. "So, Rolf is surprised you did not see interest in getting in the tumble. Rolf sees the rapturous fighting to be a good way to pass the noggin."

She just ignored Rolf, and after Rolf waited a couple of seconds, he spoke up.

"However...Rolf sees you may be right. A little bit. So...Rolf wished to ask a favor. Of a fellow friend and comrade."

"Friend?" She asked, confused.

"As Rolf is sure you saw, Rolf has the mighty spirit of his warrior ancestors...sadly Rolf lacks the correct training in how to use it. But, Annie is clearly not burdened with such a lack of skills. Rolf was wondering if Annie would batten the hatches and squeeze the melons of Rolf to bring the warriors into Rolf's daily turnips."

"..What?" She finally spoke up, stopping and looking over at him.

"Rolf wishes for Annie-girl to show Rolf how to better hone his ancestor's might!" Rolf said.

"...Why should I?" She asked.

"Well Eren-boy was a good student that you taught, and Rolf feels his strength could be put to better use, yes!"

"...You're not gonna let me up anyways, are you." She sighed, shaking her head, and looking back at the guards who were slowly crawling out of the water. "...Fine."

* * *

Rolf's training had begun that day. Marlowe had taken the lead on leading the rest of the rookies in their daily Maneuver Gear training, which was fine as he was better at it than Rolf anyways. Rolf and Annie had moved to a more open clearing with some softer dirt. Rolf spent a bit of time clearing it of rocks and vegetation, before getting ready.

"Now then, I know already what you can do, so I don't expect you to hold back. You're a lot stronger than I am, so you should be able to get the better of me." Annie said, keeping her gaze on him, like a predator examining its prey before striking.

Rolf, on the other hand, just shrugged. He smirked, already remembering the fight he had had with her and Mikasa during training. He'd done a good number on her and that was when having to deal with Mikasa as well.

"Rolf wishes to learn what he already doesn't, how will pickling the cucumber again make it less vinegary?"

"You wanted me to train you, right? So shut up and do what I say." She said, getting into a combat stance. "Now, attack me."

"Hmmph, fine." Rolf said, looking her over, before rolling his shoulders to loosen them up, then he charged at Annie, raising his fist. He swung it hard at her and hit...air.

Annie had ducked, swinging her arm up underneath Rolf's arm to send it up. With that done, she quickly swung her leg to his side, catching Rolf off-guard, then throwing his arm forward. The two combined sent Rolf sprawling down. He wasn't in much pain, but it had caught him off guard.

"What did I say? I am much weaker and more frail than you. You shouldn't hold back." She said, backing up again.

"Hrrrrr..." Rolf growled and stood back up, charging again...only to get Annie to rush in as well, swinging her legs underneath Rolf, tripping him up. She fell back and quickly thrust her hand up on Rolf's chest, using the momentum of his fall to push him back farther, causing him to hit the ground hard. She rolled onto her chest and quickly grappled at him, wrapping her arms around his throat, trying to squeeze.

"Remember, this is what happens when your moves are sloppy and anyone can read what you're going to do before you do it." She said into his ear. Rolf shook his head, before reaching his arms up to grab Annie by the back, and showed that his brute strength was still good, ripping her off of him and throwing her back on the ground. He quickly jumped up, raising his hands.

She slowly got up, brushing herself off, looking to Rolf.

"You have good stamina, and you can take a hit. If this went on much longer, there's no doubt I'd lose again. But in a fight, wearing out your opponent is not as helpful if they can take you out quickly. Or if there's more than one opponent."

Rolf slowly nodded. "Rolf sees."

"Now, pay attention to what I do when I send you to the ground again."

* * *

A couple of weeks went by, the first month in the MP coming up rather quickly. And Rolf had already turned his team into the most skilled and disciplined unit. At least...that he could see. Of course, in his mind they were all still able and willing warriors, when if given the opportunity they'd still slack off instead.

That didn't mean results still weren't quite exceptional. Rolf had re-instated close combat training into the daily regimen. Every other day would be close combat training instead of 3DM training, seeing as they were supposed to be protecting the law and fighting humans and not Titans in theory. Except for Rolf and Annie. Rolf wanted to work as hard as he could to make up for this perceived weakness of his, and Annie just rolled with it, helping Rolf every day, even on 3DM gear days, cutting that training in half a bit. Which Rolf was fine with, as most of his team had already passed him on that front, with Marlowe proving to be an exceptional teacher. Even Hitch had mostly stopped complaining, and she had become something of a fast learner. And of course rubbing that in his face when she could was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

It was at the end of one of these days that Rolf lead the team back to the mess hall. As their routine had intensified, the team had found themselves not needing as much sleep and they could actually enjoy their meals without falling apart at the seams.

Rolf had taken the time to weave the tales of his home country, and generally entrance them as a storyteller, much like back in training.

"And then, Rolf saw the great sea-cucumber rise above the seas, blinking and blinking at Rolf with one eye! It sought Rolf's family like a sandwich to feast upon!" Rolf said, standing on the table, one foot on the chair, rocking himself back and forth, as if to simulate the sea.

"Well I hope you did a lot better against that thing than you did against Annie in practice today." Hitch spoke up, chuckling. "I knew you were strong but I didn't think you'd be the first person to fly without Maneuver Gear."

"Oh is that so? Well than, perhaps you'd like to hear the song of Rolf's village, yes?" Rolf said with a cunning smirk, eyes narrowed.

"Oh please, your people have songs too? This outta be good. Sure." Hitch said, leaning back in her chair.

Rolf smirked and walked back to the mess hall looking for the cook. When he returned he had a large broth jar. "Now then, Rolf shall take you as my partner." He said, standing over the cocky Hitch.

"Look, I am not slow dancing with you, okay?" She said as Rolf began to blow into the broth jar. At one point between blows, he cried out.

"That's my horse!" He said, then slapped her hand.

"Ow, hey what the-"

"Your turn!" Rolf said, smirking as he lightly bounced in place while playing.

"Uh...what?" She said.

"Your turn. Must Rolf echo everything?"

"Uh...that's my horse?" She asked, shrugging. She looked down as Rolf offered a hand, which she slapped.

"Pfft, that's it? That's my horse!" He said, throwing his elbow into her gut, knocking her back, holding her stomach.

"Ow! Okay, tough guy. That's my horse!" She said, grabbing a plate and slamming it on Rolf's head, sending him into a chair.

"Hah hah! Here, blonde-haired Boris!" Rolf said, tossing Boris the bottle. "Play the song!"

"Uh...well...okay?" He said, starting to blow and copy from what Rolf had done.

"That's my horse!" Rolf said reaching for Hitch.

Meanwhile, at the other side of the room away from the commotion, a few older MP officers watched their antics, one of them shaking his head.

"I tell you, these stupid kids are a nightmare to deal with." He said, crossing his arms. "They seem to be in a constant race to show off and make us look bad."

"Not only that, they get in our way. Did you hear what happened to Hansel a bit ago? I don't care if he's some sort of "Human Titan", that rookie is causing us a lot of pain." Another MP said.

That was when Rolf found himself flying back and crashing into a third member of their little group. "Everybody! That's my horse!" Rolf said, slamming an elbow back into his face.

"Ah! Why you little-I'm going to teach you a lesson!" He said, shoving Rolf off and socking the boy in the face, sending him back to a table.

"Ah ah ah! No that's my horse!" Rolf said, slapping him on the back of the head, and sending him to the floor.

"What the-horse?! I'll show you my freaking horse." He snarled getting up and throwing a kick to Rolf's face.

"That's it! That's my horse!" Rolf said, smirking and not even winded as he reached back and grabbed a table from the ground and swung it, slamming into his face and sending the guy back into his chair, groaning and almost unconscious. Boris widened his eyes, dropping the jar.

"Uh...hey Rolf, maybe we should head to bed now, alright? I mean, uh...I really think that I'll need extra energy for our jog." Hitch said, moving her hand away from her new black-eye and quickly leaving the room.

"Ah, perhaps you are correct. And Rolf congratulates you from graduating from perpetual baby boo hooer to taking things as should be processed like a wiener from a yak." Rolf said, waving bye to the MPs he had interrupted.

After Rolf's team had left, the two still conscious MPs looked to each other, fury in their eyes. "You know, I am officially sick of that kid. I say tomorrow we should teach him a lesson of how he should be acting as an MP."

* * *

 **AN: Not much else to say. More continuation of Rolf in the MP, but now deciding to keep his own little personal promise. Cause while Rolf is someone who enjoys the finer things in life and can have fun and goof off, he's also very responsible, dislikes laziness, and would be bored out of his skull with the typical MP work. And of course, not everyone's happy about it.**

 **Hmm, I wonder what repercussions this may have...**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"Gah!" Rolf shouted as he was knocked back onto the ground. Resting on his shoulders Rolf looked up in time to see a booted foot swinging towards him. Rolf quickly rolled to the side, letting the foot swing by his head. Quickly Rolf reached up, wrapping his hands around their ankle, swinging them up and back down on the ground. Without wasting a second, Rolf leaped forward, wrapping his arms under their arms, getting a strong grapple on them, pinning his opponent to the ground.

After a brief struggle, however, Rolf felt their fist swing up into his fist, right on Rolf's eye. Rolf gasped and let go, feeling a quick elbow to his gut, causing Rolf to let go even more, allowing his opponent to slip out. Rolf rubbed his eye as he looked up at Annie standing over him, trying to control her breath.

"What was that?" She asked, in a way that lacked volume but more than made up in pure ice. "I know for a fact that you can take a hit like that no problem. Did your eye really bother you that much?"

"Rolf knows that, but how can Rolf know what to do if Rolf doesn't see first hand how to smash the broccoli? Rolf knows that shimmying up the she-badger with Rolf's magnitude won't teach Rolf any-" He was interrupted by her foot getting shoved right up Rolf's mouth, knocking the Son of a Shepherd back to the ground.

"No. I told you from the start to not hold back. Not at all." She said, staring down at Rolf through half-shut eyes. She said, not helping Rolf as he stood up. "You've been doing better, you're getting the basics, and you are getting better at countering."

"Well Rolf knows that peeling the difficulty of this cherub is-" Rolf started, grinning at the rare praise he had received before being interrupted.

"But you're doing so at a painfully slow rate." She started, circling Rolf. "You can't focus, you won't listen to me, and you continue to hold back. You asked me to teach you, yet you won't fully listen to what I have to teach." Annie said, glaring at Rolf.

"Rolf is confused! Rolf says that Rolf cannot use his full upper body usage to learn, but yet you say that you want Rolf to-" Rolf started, before Annie threw a punch at Rolf's face, catching him off-guard before wrapping her arms around the back of his head and kicking at his shin, sending Rolf head over heals over her. Rolf grunted as he landed on his back. Looking up, Rolf reached back, grabbing her ankles and pulling hard, sending her to the ground as well. Rolf quickly stood back up, Annie joining him. She swung a fist at Rolf again, who stepped to the side, grabbing her arm and using it to flip her back to her back. Once she was down, Rolf rested his knee on her neck.

"There! Rolf has done what bee-stinger-Annie has asked!" Rolf said, as Annie looked up at Rolf before Rolf felt her legs wrap around his shoulder and quickly tug him back, landing him on his back.

"Good. You should do that more." She said, slowly standing up, rubbing her neck.

When Rolf joined her, the two heard the sounds of 3DM Gear, and they could see that Marlowe's group where swinging their way back. Marlowe pulled his gear back, kicking off a tree and landing on the ground nearby the two.

"Alright Rolf we finished up the route. And well...Hitch may have broken her blades back there. I don't think the quartermaster is going to be happy."

"As if, not like anyone uses them anyways. He's got nothing better to do." Hitch said, landing next to Marlowe, crossing her arms indignantly. "Besides, these blades are meant for cutting flesh not wood. Not exactly my fault they broke after using them all this time."

Rolf looked over to them as the rest of his unit then nodded to them. "Alright then. Rolf is finished here as well, yes? Let us return home for lots of nourishment and copious amounts of mammal-flesh." Rolf grinned as he walked past Annie who stood there before following the rest.

As the group of ten began to walk down the street, Rolf looked over and saw a member of the Military Police leaning against a wall next to an alleyway, arms crossed until Rolf's group came by. After that happened, he walked over to them.

"Hey there, Rolf Yonick correct?" The MP asked.

"I am Rolf, Son of a Shepherd, yes." Rolf said, before quickly standing at attention, arms behind his back.

"Ah good. Hey listen, see your little training has gotten the attention of some of the brass, and now over here one of the officers wanted to have a little chat with you."

"Oh? Well, Rolf is sure that Rolf's little groups shall be getting recognized as we should. Not playing as little fragile shell eggs should roast the turnip before midnight, as it shows how true warriors act." Rolf said, grinning as he started to follow him to the alley.

"Uh wait a minute. Which officer-" Marlowe started, before Rolf shook his hand.

"Marlowe take the other back to dinner, yes? Rolf shall catch up." Rolf said as he followed the MP into the alley. As Rolf entered he looked around. "Rolf is confused. Why would stuffy-shirted officer wish to speak to Rolf in such a dark alley?"

At that, several other figures came out of the shadows, slowly starting to surround the Son of a Shepherd. Rolf looked around, starting to feel his back-hairs crawl.

"See, rookie, we here at the Military Police in the interior have a way of doing things. And you, rookie, are starting to get a bit annoying to us." The soldier said, resting his fist in his palm. "You see, your little actions are starting to make us look bad. Not to mention how you seem to be so interested in interfering in our business. And frankly, I don't like that."

"Plus you hit me with a table!" One of the soldiers shouted out, one with a noticeable black eye, glaring angrily at Rolf.

"What? Rolf is confused! Rolf wishes to not be seen as a humble abound lazy oaf when Rolf is a soldier. Surely any real soldier would wish that as well, yes?"

"You saying we're not soldiers, huh? Pretty big talk from some punk rookie, huh? Maybe we should teach you how to talk to your elders?" One of the MPs from behind Rolf said. Rolf suddenly felt a hammer on the back of his skull as said MP slammed him with the butt of a musket.

Rolf stumbled forward before turning around, bringing a fist up, only to get a fist to the side of his face, then kicked in the back, stumbling forward. Rolf looked around as he saw he was surrounded by men grinning sadistically as they got ready.

It was at that point when the MP closest to the alley entrance was suddenly launched forward with a grunt, falling face first onto the road, causing the MPs to look back. Standing at the entrance was Annie. She brushed some hair out of her face and looked around, seeing Rolf.

"Rolf, you are an idiot." She said, as several others looked her over.

"Oh, so you wanna get in and help this loser huh? One of his friends huh?"

"Hmmph, maybe she needs to be taught a lesson too." One of them said, before Annie quickly threw an elbow to his face, and quickly wrapped her arms around his shoulder, launching him into another MP. She quickly ran over to Rolf, and glared at him.

"Well, I hope you don't expect to hold back now." She said, as Rolf smirked.

"Ah Annie girl. Perfect timing, no? Rolf chooses to bring upon these lazy buffoons a merciless beating!" He said, as the MP that Annie had launched first got up.

"Okay pals, no more playing-" He said, before a boot was thrown, hitting him in the face and knocking him back. Rolf grabbed the boot, which he'd taken off, before looking around.

"Rolf thinks he's had enough of an unmerciless beating with Rolf's shoe. So, would-be woodpeckers, have you had enough?"

"Get this kid!" One shouted.

"No? Perhaps a two-shoe beating is more your vocation!" Rolf said, grabbing his other boot and holding both like weapons as he leaned back wrapping his arms around the thrown fist of an MP, then swinging the heel of his boot into his face. After that, he fell down, ducking under a musket swing, slamming the toes of his other up the MP's legs.

Annie swung a leg at one guard, catching him in the face, and grabbing his unbalanced body to throw him at another. She looked back, swaying her body back to grab ahold of the guard, elbowing him in the gut, then grabbing the back of his head and bringing it to her knee. She leaped backwards, almost bumping into Rolf, before throwing a punch at Rolf's opponent, winding him, for Rolf to swing his boot up and catching him under his chin.

Rolf smirked at Annie as she stood in her fighting stance behind him, as Rolf held his boots up. One guard swung a kick at Rolf, who quickly grabbed it, bringing it down hard on his shoulder, making the MP cry out as they both heard a sickening snap. Rolf bit his shoe, looking around.

"Tell me, lazy oafs of the nether-regions? Have you ever experienced..." He turned to a group of MPs, the stolen boot in his mouth.

"The All-Mighty Three Shoe Beating?!" He shouted between the leather in his mouth, swinging one boot around a musket and swaying his head around, the heel clocking the MP in the cheek, sending him sprawling.

Annie fought behind him, covering his back as she was faster and more skilled than the lazy guards. She ducked under a punch, throwing two jabs into his chest before he could respond, then stood up to finish him off with a punch to his now-broken nose.

Rolf smirked and leaped back, avoiding a punch and wrapping his boot around the guard's hand and swinging with his strength to collide into two others, knocking all three out of the alley.

Annie looked back and grabbed Rolf by the shoulders, yanking him away from a sucker-punch, also throwing him face-first at another MP, who ended up with a face full of boot. Annie meanwhile charged that guard, kicking his thigh to disorient him, then grappling him to the ground, choking him, him being unable to squirm or grab back.

As Annie started to force the thug's face to change to a lovely shade of purple, Rolf faced down the last few of the MPs still wanting to have a go at Rolf. Rolf grinned at them like a crazed animal, clamping down on the boot in his mouth, squeezing tightly his own.

"I...am not...going to lose to some freak with a boot in his mouth!" One of them said, holding his musket like a club.

"Well than, if you wish to tussle with the swine, how you say, bring it on!" Rolf said between the boot in his mouth.

Two charged at Rolf from other sides, raising their fists. Rolf leaned back to avoid it, swinging his foot at his shin, tripping him, so that Rolf could bring his boot up, slapping his face and sending him on his back. The other's hand got caught in Rolf's arm, before he swung the man like a ragdoll, crashing his back into the wall. Winded, he couldn't do anything before Rolf's mouth held boot could put him to sleep.

The last MP had taken the opportunity to swing down on Rolf's head, but Rolf backed up at the last second, swinging his knee up to knock the MP back onto the ground. Rolf sat on his stomach, looking down.

"Now prepare yourself for a merciless thrashing from the foot of many a fallen shoe!" He shouted, before swinging all three of his boots one at a time into his face. The MP squirmed and struggled, but eventually stopped, just laying there, groaning and breathing heavily. Rolf stood up, spitting the boot in his mouth on his face.

"All is forgiven!" Rolf said, cheerfully slipping his boots back on. Behind him, Annie also stood up, kicking at the unconscious body she had taken care of. She turned to Rolf, looking at the groaning bodies left in the Son of a Shepherd's wake.

"If you could actually master my training, I'm not sure if there's a human alive who could beat you." She said, starting to walk by Rolf.

"Oh ho! And it would be all for you, snake-in-the-grass Annie!" He said, before grabbing her and hoisting her up on his shoulder, to her obvious surprise, squirming from it. "Come, we shall celebrate our victory in your honor for your lessons applying in the defeating of the hankered pumpernickel!"

As the two left (with Annie struggling to get off of Rolf's shoulder) the rest of his team rushed over.

"Rolf, are you okay?" Hitch said.

"Yes, Rolf is very much alright! Although Rolf must insist on giving credit to the training of Ms. Annie!" Rolf said, looking up at Annie, who was trying to look away from everyone else.

"Yeah, something didn't seem right, but Annie told us to stay here." Marlowe explained, before Hitch interrupted again.

"Then those two MPs we caught selling equipment came over, and tried to "punish" Marlowe." Hitch said, shrugging. "Of course there's what, eight of us and only two of them?" She said, looking back at the river's edge, where two MPs where struggling to crawl out. Boris walked over, and kicked them back into the water.

"Not that we'd even need eight against them. Honestly, I'm almost embarrassed to be associated with losers like them." Hitch said, pressing her forehead into her palm.

"Oh ho! Rolf is proud of Rolf's flock! Come, Rolf shall expect a great celebration for today's victory and prepare the eels of forgiveness for our fallen adversaries!" Rolf said, throwing his hand into the air as he lead (and carried) his team back to the mess hall, preparing for a great victory feast in how their training has led to good results.

* * *

The next day, the city was all abuzz, with the announcement of the 57th Exterior Scouting Mission to happen the next day. Rolf had heard of it, and decided that today and tomorrow, after yesterday's excitement, they could use a bit of a break. They completed their patrol (or at least part of it) quickly and Rolf said that there'd be no training today. While some, like Hitch, decided to take the time to relax and rest in the markets, Rolf decided to check out where the expedition would leave.

Rolf was content as he looked around, realizing that most of his closest friends would go on a dangerous journey the next day, going quickly to fight against the monsters that he still had nightmares of, while he was still stuck in safety. As Rolf started to walk away, he heard a familiar voice.

"Rolf? Hey Rolf is that you?" Rolf looked back, seeing that his friend Mina Carolina was running over to him. She was in her uniform with the symbol of roses to signify she was a part of the Garrison.

"Ah hah! Yes bright-in-the-eyes Mina-girl! Oh Rolf is happy to see you once again!" Rolf said, grinning widely as Mina smiled back.

"Yeah, it's been a month, right? Heard about the expedition, so of course I had to work this route so that I can see them off tomorrow. Other than you and Annie, pretty much all of my friends from training are going." She said, a quick flash of worry crossing her eyes before vanishing as she returned her gaze to Rolf. "Oh, speaking of! How are you and Annie doing? The Military Police must be pretty easy-going, huh?"

"Ah, Rolf would say maybe yes. But Rolf and Annie have been making sure to not fall wayside with full bellies. Rolf has been keeping us in tip-top shape!" Rolf said proudly.

"Really? Wow, that honestly doesn't sound anything like the MP when I hear about it. But well...I guess that does sound like you." She said with a smile.

"Well...Rolf and Rolf's team are done for the day. Maybe I can get Annie to come with and we can do some socializing over the spilled beans of a sow skin!" Rolf said cheerfully.

"Well whatever we do, hopefully not that, I sure do hope that you can get Annie to come. I know that she tried to be a loner in training, but I knew there was something to see in her." Mina said.

After parting ways, Rolf would find Annie and tell her about it. Of course, Annie firmly said that she had no interest in meeting up with Mina. Rolf, however, was both more stubborn and more clueless and she ended up going with him anyways.

The three met up at a table in the marketplace and pulled up some seats and a small table off the side. Rolf came back with some bread and meat from one of the stalls, with Mina having gotten them drinks. The three (or rather Rolf and Mina, Annie mostly just sat there) began to talk about how things had gone ever since they'd last met.

"No way, you're really ignoring what those MPs say and keep training?" Mina asked, eyes wide.

"Well of course! Rolf won't be listening to the hubdidy does of good-for-nothing louses in uniform!" Rolf said, crossing his arms. "Besides, Rolf's team are ready for any circumstances, mark Rolf's words."

"Still, wouldn't that get them upset?" She asked.

"Of course. Just yesterday, Rolf got ambushed by a large group of them. They were unhappy with how Rolf was making them look, not to mention how he is one of the few in the entire organization not willing to stand for corruption."

"What?! Rolf, what happened, where you okay?" Mina said, concerned as Rolf finished up some of his drink.

"Of course! Besides, Rolf was not alone, right snake-palm-Annie-girl?" Rolf said with a grin, wrapping his arm around Annie. She shoved his arm off and looked away.

"Well of course, an idiot like you should've deserved the beating that came from that, but they couldn't have taken you out anyways, and I didn't want us to spend any more time waiting for you than we had to." She said quietly, before biting into some bread.

"Of course, of course, Rolf can see this. However, Rolf must also thank you for giving Rolf the regime to better handle those miscreants!" Rolf said, tearing into some meat.

"Wait, Annie you're helping Rolf learn how to fight? Oh that's actually incredible!" She said, taking a sip.

"Well...he asked for me to help, and since we're going to be training anyways, and he wouldn't have taken no..."

"Uh huh, sure. Well I'm glad he's been learning well." Mina said.

"Not as well as he could. He just refuses to do what I say. I tell him not to hold back, but he does, and he doesn't learn as quickly as he could."

"...Rolf. You want Rolf to not hold back?" Mina asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well...I mean I'm not exactly good at fighting people or anything like that, but Rolf seems a bit strong to not hold back."

"That's the point." She said, before leaning back, taking another bite.

"Oh Rolf thinks that you need more fiber, venom-in-eye Annie!" Rolf said, grinning. "Besides, Rolf still learns some from you, yes?" He said, doing some mock jabs in front of her, causing Mina to suppress some giggles as she watched.

"C'mon Annie, that's still pretty good. Before Rolf would just blunder through things, even if he could still take it." She said, finishing her chuckles as she took a sip.

"Well...not much has changed I guess." Annie retorted.

"Hey! Rolf takes, as you say, offense to that remark! Now Rolf can say that Annie-girl's blundering is what Rolf does!" He said, grinning as he leaned back to take a bite.

Annie looked down at her cup, feeling her lips slowly move back, as she looked up at Mina and Rolf, the only ones who had ignored her venom and anger, who had still done what they could to stay close by.

She couldn't stay.

"I'm sorry, I have to go." Annie said, standing up, finishing her cup.

"Huh? Rolf is confused, the sun has barely begun to set, and we still have a plentiful bounty of wheat, yeast, and a plentiful assortment of flesh from the sea." Rolf said, looking up confused.

"Maybe another time but...I don't feel good all of a sudden. I think I should return and rest. I'll see you tomorrow." She said, quickly rushing off, Mina and Rolf looking back between each other.

"Well...I dunno. You have been working rather hard, maybe it all just caught up to her?" Mina suggested.

"Rolf supposes so. Still, Rolf maybe should keep an eye. Hopefully she'll be better tomorrow, yes?" Rolf said, before picking up his cup and swallowing it.

"Yeah. Hey, I think we should do this again, what do you say?" Mina said. "I kinda missed having you two to talk to. Besides, my job as a guard is pretty boring compared to you guys, and I'd love to hear more about your adventures."

"Of course, eyes-wide-as-a-sea Mina! I'd be glad to meet up with you again, bringing Annie along with. She could use more with talking about things in general as opposed to glaring and stalking like a weasel in the throes of an owl." He said.

The two said their goodbyes and went their separate ways, Rolf having a grin on his face at having gotten to meet with his closest friend again after a month.

Still, as Rolf walked back, he wondered what had gotten into Annie. She didn't seem like she was sick...of course, even Rolf found her an enigma at best when it came to this kind of thing. Maybe she had taken a bit of a beating that day? Oh well. Rolf figured he'd keep an eye on her and hope she gets better.

* * *

 **AN: Yes yes, quite shocking I got another chapter out. Well I just got bit by the writing bug I guess and I just really wanted to keep writing. So there we go. As always, don't expect this to mean a change in my writing schedule (if it can even be called that), I physically cannot write Rolf so often. Danny Antonucci was a brilliant man for being able to write everything of his. Plus hey! One year anniversary!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The next day had come, and Rolf got up early in the morning as usual, stretching and with a larger grin on his face than normal. Looking around, he saw the rest of his squad beginning to do the same as well, having already gotten used to waking up at such early hours thanks to Rolf.

Still, Rolf seemed to just hum to himself as the group managed to get ready and head down for their usual "assignments". Rolf, however, seemed to just be grinning as well as they headed down and waited in a line for their commander to arrive.

"Alright cadets, seems you got a request from your fearless leader here..." He said looking over towards Rolf, while also eliciting sharpened breaths from everyone else, worried to hear what he'd gotten them into now. "...to be transferred to Calaneth District for the day. Not sure why you did, but hey there's some guys there who'll be happy to get a day in the interior, so why not?" He said casually, before shrugging. "Alright, you're dismis-" He started then looked over everyone, and his bored expression barely shifted.

"Hey, you're down one." He said, which caused Rolf to look down the line. Immediately he noticed that sure enough one of them was missing. Annie.

"Ah, yeah Annie claimed that she was feeling sick, said it was probably something she ate last night." Hitch spoke up quickly to cover for her.

The officer narrowed his eyes, almost seemed like he was going to say something, but thought better of it. "Right, right sure...just get this done today, and I'll see you all tomorrow." He said and turned around to start walking off. "Dismissed."

After that, the group circled Rolf, who had been given the new assignment, grinning as he saw them. "Alright Rolf, what gives? Why'd you assign us there?" Boris asked, with the rest giving various questions questions to the same effect.

"Rolf knows this seems odd, but Rolf could not help it. His former pupils from the youthful days of practice in the military formats are to be leaving on a treacherous quest today, so he thought to help us all out with a different task and allow us to wish our final lucks on them!" Rolf said with a grin, but on seeing that no one else made a move, Rolf breathed a soft sigh. "...Rolf is also canceling today's training." He said, which caused the rest of the squad to smile and breath out a sigh of relief.

"Wow Rolf, two days in a row where we don't have to practice? Seems you're starting to go soft on us, like the rest of these MPs, huh?" Hitch teased, elbowing him in the side.

"Soft? No, Rolf's hearty and meat-filled diet is preventing Rolf from going the way of his great-nana's posterior!" Rolf said, and as he walked by the now disgusted Hitch, he grinned. "Onwards! Rolf's friend's will be leaving soon, and Rolf must grab some last gifts he had made!" Rolf said with a grin.

* * *

As the group made their way to the district, they found the Scouts had already been lined up. They sat on their horses, wearing their green ponchos and preparing for the Titans to finish being lured away. As they approached, Rolf was looking into the crowd and grinned as he saw who he was looking for. Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Connie, Sasha, Reiner, Bertholdt, and everyone else from the 104th. Still holding his massive grin, Rolf made his way to where they were.

Waving at them, Rolf ran over to the lines. "Couldn't head out on your very first mission without seeing the Son of a Shepherd off, could you, you hornless rams?" Rolf said as they looked at him, Eren grinning as he saw him.

"Rolf! You really came all the way from the interior to see us?" Eren said with a relieved smile.

"Of course! Rolf couldn't spend all his time lazing around while working on the hens scared to lay an egg into filling their nests when his first fold where marching into the wolf's teeth, yes?" He said, before Armin spoke up.

"I don't really know what you mean, but it is nice that you came to see us off." He said, as Rolf grinned and reached up to smack a hand on Eren's thigh.

"Oh, before Rolf forgets..." He said, reaching into a bag he'd been carrying. "Rolf made sure to give you all good luck offerings, preparations for a warrior fit of the homeland!" He said and pulled out the...offerings.

"A necklace made from the skin of day-old processed sausage, filled with the shavings of pickled herring mixed with a dash of beet skin." Rolf said with a smile as he lifted up the foul-smelling offering and placed it over Eren's head. Eren's eyes widened as he had to cover his mouth to not risk insulting Rolf, then he forced a smile.

"Ah Rolf it's...lovely?" He asked, as Rolf grinned and passed one to Armin who was nearby.

"Please, pass the rest to our companions in the 104th!" Rolf said beaming. "The homeland's warrior spirits will protect the fight against the tall giants with the consistency of a rotting sea slug for sure!" Rolf said greatly.

Despite the...rather disgusting and confusing gift, Eren could see the earnest look Rolf had and he nodded. "Yeah? I will, and Rolf really this means a lot." He said, just as earnestly...even if he was rather uncomfortable having this...thing around his neck.

"Of course! After all, if hot-headed Titan-boy will be charging off against Titans, surely Eren will need it." Rolf eased and nudged his arm, before backing off as he heard a shout ahead.

"Everyone prepare! The titans have been diverted away and we'll be moving soon!" He shouted, as the bells on top began to ring.

Rolf began to back off, looking over to everyone as they readied. He threw his fist into the air. "Rolf wishes you all the luck of a well polished beat! May the humble potato's wrath be unlocked in you all as the beasts are wrought their well deserved justice!" He shouted, the only one in the nearby crowd to be shouting good luck wishes. This was noticed by the Scouts, especially the former 104th Trainees.

Rolf continued to shout these messages of encouragement to them as the horses rushed passed, the gate now open and the 57th Expedition began.

* * *

After waving off his friends on their mission, Rolf met back up with his squad, and they began to do their job. However, as they did so, Rolf noticed people staring at him and whispering.

It was at lunch when the group were sitting at a makeshift table, eating some bread when Rolf asked about it.

"Rolf notices that many of the wipper walkers gawking at the Son of a Shepherd. Can any of you explain to him why they are muttering in revery?" Rolf asked them, before Boris finished his drink and nodded.

"Sure. They're recognizing you. The Human Titan who saved Trost District." He said and chuckled as he leaned back, taking a bite.

"What? Rolf did no such thing, Rolf was merely doing his duty to aid the people." Rolf shook his head.

"I dunno, I was listening in a bit too." Hitch said and shrugged. "Seems according to them you got Eren back under control and helped guide the rock into place."

"Hmm?" Rolf asked, with his mouth full as he ate.

"Yeah, the rumors are rather crazy...although I find it kind of funny." Marlowe spoke up as he looked at the crowd, noting some people who were looking their way...particularly Rolf. "They're almost all only talking about you this way. Any mention of Eren is only in regards to you "taming" him. And well...at least based on what you told us about the victory, it was Eren who did most of the heavy lifting."

"What is so humorous about false dillying between sheep wives?" Rolf asked, not finding it very funny.

"...Ah, he just finds it interesting is all." Boris said, as he leaned back. "Still, the fear we hear about Eren in the interior and the praise you get...kind of funny I suppose."

Before the conversation could come up some more, Rolf heard a voice call out as well, another familiar one.

"Well Rolf, now you're here again huh? Honestly, already prefer you to the normal MPs in this district."

Looking up, Rolf gave a grin. "Ah, Mina-girl!" He said and got up, as sure enough his other close friend was here.

"Lemme guess, you were here to see the scouts off, huh?" She asked him. "It was nice seeing them all again, really, and...well I hope they come back just fine." She said, before looking over to the rest of Rolf's squad.

"Ah, so these are your squadmates you told me all about? Me and mine are on a break as well, and I thought I heard rumors of the "Human Titan" being here."

Rolf was very eager to introduce her to his squad, albeit she had to be told that Annie wasn't feeling too well.

"Well it's been nice seeing you all and meeting you, really. And I'll say, Rolf, I should be free in a few days if you and Annie wanna catch up again." She said and started to walk off.

Hitch, as she saw her walk off, shrugged. "Nice girl, kinda surprised someone who's that nice actually survived this long in the military." She said then gave a teasing grin to Rolf. "And I can see why you'd wanna catch up with her later."

"Yes? Rolf's close friends with Mina-girl, as is Annie. Rolf thinks back in training, she was the only one friends with she-of-a-thousand-badger-claws. Why? Why does this seem so laughable to Hitch?"

Hitch looked at Rolf for a bit before sighing and shaking her head. "You know what, never mind..."

* * *

The day had gone on very different from how things normally went in the interior. Their patrols took a bit longer, and unlike in the interior they had to do their job more regularly, talking to people about problems, settling disputes. Fortunately nothing more serious than a light thievery attempt happened, but having to deal with a lot more things meant that their normally quick and light assignment stretched on all day.

So, the sky was starting to redden from the falling sun, when something surprising happened. The bell began to ring, signaling the opening of the gate.

"Huh? Why's the gate opening already?" Marlowe asked as the squad had turned to face it.

"It can't be the scouts can it? They only left this morning." Boris questioned.

Rolf, meanwhile, definitely felt something was deeply wrong deep in his udder.

Following their unofficial leader, the squad made its way to the gate as it began to open...and were almost horrified by what they saw.

It was the scouts, back far earlier than normal. And in far fewer numbers than usual. Many were bandaged and had long, shamed and fearful looks in their eyes. They were looking down and away from everyone. And Rolf couldn't blame them as he heard people shouting and berating them, or otherwise quietly dismissing and mocking the scouts.

Quickly, Rolf began to look through the numbers for familiar faces, and to his relief he was able to spot everyone he knew as they came past him. But the relief was very short-lived as he saw the looks in their eyes.

Something...something terrible had happened. Rolf was standing still, his normally optimistic eyes wide as he saw the look of utter defeat in their eyes.

"...Rolf? Are you okay?" Marlowe asked him, resting a hand on his shoulder as Rolf stayed still, before slowly nodding.

"...Rolf is fine." Was all he said, that speaking volumes to everyone, even Hitch keeping back from saying something.

"Come on. Sun's setting, we should start to make our way back home. I'm sure we'll hear about what happened when we get back." Hitch said, as everyone began to slowly make their way away from their crowd. Rolf stood still for a bit longer, before following himself.

* * *

The next few days, news had been slow to trickle in, and the rookies got even less news. The only news they got was stuff that they more or less already knew about, that the mission had been called off early because it was a colossal disaster and the massive loss of life, even by the standards of the Survey Corp.

Rolf had taken the news pretty hard, by comparison to anything that his squad had seen him. And he wasn't alone. When they'd gotten back, Rolf had gone to Annie. As he explained everything to her, while she tried to keep her normal, stone faced façade up, several in the squad could tell it was unsettling to her.

The only reason that Rolf was able to mostly act himself was because his friends had fortunately made it out, alive and okay.

That had been the case, when late one night Rolf had been awakened by someone tapping on his shoulder. Groaning as he slowly woke up, Rolf's eyes jolted as he woke up to see who was in his room, tapping on his shoulder.

It was Armin.

"...Cue-headed-blonde-boy, what is the mean-" He started before Armin quickly covered Rolf's mouth with his hand motioning his other to have Rolf keep quiet. Motioning to the window, Rolf slowly nodded.

The two quickly slipped out of the window and down to the grounds.

"Armin-boy, what is the meaning of this confounding late night excursion?" Rolf whispered while confused.

"Rolf, there's something important we need to talk about, but we need to do it somewhere private. The mission outside of the walls was a failure and many people died because of a traitor on these walls." Armin whispered back. "Rolf...the government is going to kill Eren!"

This had gotten the young man's attention, and the two quietly rushed off to a small warehouse, one Rolf assured they could talk in peace.

"Alright...thank you for this Rolf. You are the only one in the MPs that we know of that we can trust, and we're going to need your help."

"Oh? Anything for Rolf's great camaraderie trio of varying degrees of levelness." Rolf nodded. "Still, Rolf does not see why Armin did not also grab Annie-girl. Surely she would also be of great discussion given the sympathies for our partners she would give." Rolf said, causing Armin to give him a rather...uncomfortable look.

"I'll...get to why we didn't ask her." Armin said, then took a slow breath. "What happened outside of those walls...another Titan came for us. Not one of the normal Titans, or even an abnormal Titan. It was a female Titan, one like Eren." He then gave Rolf the darkest look the son of a shepherd had seen from the small boy. "She was a human who can turn into a Titan."

Rolf let what he was said sink in. Rolf had seen the terrible power Eren could unleash when he'd changed, physically felt it when he tried to restrain Eren after he'd gone feral. All of that power, all of it targeting people on purpose…

"Ah...Rolf understands. So now it is Rolf is to aid in capturing this wolf who parades herself around wearing the wool of a rooster, is that so? Well, Rolf is eager to help!" He said, before Armin nodded.

"Indeed. But this needs to stay between us, you cannot tell anyone else. We cannot risk tipping off the rest of the Military Police, or the Female Titan herself."

"Of course, Rolf agrees. However...Rolf is still confused on one aspect. Should not she-with-the-devil's-tongue not be informed about this? Surely Annie can also be trusted." Rolf asked, causing Armin to look down.

"That's...just it. See, we believe we know who the Female Titan is. We only have circumstantial evidence, I admit, but I find it compelling and we don't have a lot of time. And Rolf...that suspect is Annie."

After waiting for a minute, Rolf suddenly broke out laughing. "Oh hoh, Armin-boy! Rolf sees now how much of a kidder you are! Ah, Rolf for a minute expected you to pull a fast one on him, but he sees now you are trying to boost Rolf's morale." But as Rolf kept laughing it slowly died out as Armin's expression only hardened.

"Rolf, I'm sorry. I wish I was kidding, that this was all some prank. Maybe I'm wrong, and I desperately hope I am...but from everything we've seen I'm serious. I believe that Annie is the Female Titan, the same one who slaughtered our unit and who defeated us."

Rolf sat there, his amusement all drained from his face. "...Are you thick in the head?!" Rolf suddenly shouted, glaring at Armin as he quickly stood up. "Why should Rolf believe any of this, huh?! Rolf and Annie have worked together for this whole time, Rolf sees nothing but a loyal soldier in her eyes behind the hatred of a hungry sow!" He gripped his hands tightly and leaned over, glaring in Armin's eyes. "What is this "evidence" that has been collected to condemn her?"

Armin took a breath, not flinching much when Rolf had quickly gotten louder, before looking up. "The evidence we have are several fold. One...Mikasa noticed it looked like her. And before you get mad, more evidence includes how she spared my life, and that she reacted when I used Eren's "suicidal maniac" nickname. Three...the day that those Titans we had captured were killed, and all of our gear was inspected? Annie...didn't hand in her own gear, she handed in Marco's." He took a breath. "And finally, when Eren had confronted her in one on one combat, as far as he remembers, it was nearly identical to Annie's fighting style." Armin finished.

Every sound point was a physical blow, each one causing Rolf to visibly deflate, refusing to look Armin in the eyes. After it was all said and done, Rolf didn't say a word. What felt like minutes went by before Rolf slowly swallowed and looked up.

"Rolf, I have one more question, maybe something that could help us out with this. I noticed on the day we were leaving, when you came by to wish us luck with your squad...I saw that Annie wasn't with you. And she was in your barracks when I came to get you. Where was she that day?"

Rolf didn't answer, everything that had been said and the already understood realization of what his answer might mean causing his throat to dry out. Soon he spoke up.

"Annie...was feeling sick, and couldn't work. Rolf never saw her all day." He slowly admitted, and Armin himself looked like that was what he didn't want Rolf to say.

"I...was hoping you would be her alibi." Armin admitted.

"Rolf will help you." Rolf quickly and suddenly said, but only clenched his hands tighter. "However, he is only doing this to prove her innocence." Rolf said. "Rolf still doesn't believe for an instant that Annie is one of those beasts."

* * *

The next day came quickly, something Rolf wasn't so keen on. He had barely gotten any sleep after returning to his bed after his conversation with Armin last night.

He'd been told of the plan, to lure Annie away during the procession to an abandoned underground route that used to be an attempt at an underground city. There, even if Annie were to transform, the crowded and claustrophobic area would make her capture easy.

 _If she can even transform._ Rolf thought bitterly as he sat up, rubbing his very sleepy eyes. Yawning, he stretched and got up, walking to go get ready for the day. Soon he passed Annie, and he looked down at her.

"Rolf swears, Annie. Rolf will prove your innocence. Rolf will keep you safe." He said softly as he looked down at her still sleeping. Taking a breath, Rolf moved on and began get ready. After walking down the stairs, he waited for the rest of his squad, deep in thought. His mind refused to settle on what he'd been told yesterday.

At the same time, he stubbornly refused to listen. He knew Annie, he had gotten close to Annie. Deep down, he knew that she cared and that she listened. Armin himself wasn't even too sure, assuming that's what circumstantial meant.

Speaking of, Annie was the last one down. She'd been sleeping in late, recently. Ever since she'd been sick, she got up later. Their training sessions had been on the back-burner lately, dropping the morning jog and only 3DM gear training was done after their patrols were finished.

But he didn't have time to think about that, saluting as their officer came in. He explained to them what Rolf already knew was gonna happen. Eren and the scouts were to be escorted in by the Military Police in Stohess. Rolf and his squad were to be on the sidelines following in 3DM gear, if something were to happen. With that said, they were dismissed so he could make it to his card game.

When the group had made it out, Hitch stretched as they walked out. "Finally, we get to use our gear for an actual assignment, not just practice." She said as they started to make their way towards the barges to get to Stohess. That's when they stopped and noticed a familiar sight. Two familiar MPs who were chatting with a merchant...with crates labeled for the Military Police. Glaring, Marlowe immediately recognized it.

"Can you believe this? How many times are they going to keep this up?!" He said infuriated as Boris shook his head.

"They'll keep doing it as long as our superiors keep letting them. I'm sure this isn't the first time they've done it since we last caught them either." He said sadly, before Marlowe began to storm over towards the group. "Well, guess we'll have to do this again. Come on."

As the merchant handed over a bag of coins to the soldier, he smirked looking at the merchant, before a loud voice interrupted them.

"Hey! That's government property! It is illegal to sell that! And I know you know that." He glared as the soldiers turned...and their eyes widened.

"Oh come on, why are you kids here?!" He shouted, instinctively grabbing his musket.

"Now I don't think you want to do that...you know how this goes, don't you?" Marlowe said and glared, not showing a hint of fear or nerves, not even unshouldering his own musket. "How about you save us both time, and yourself some bruises, and just go away. And hope that we don't catch you again."

As they looked at Marlowe, the two looked between each other...and they saw behind him the rest of the squad. Boris crossing his arm, Hitch sneering condescendingly at them, the rest of the squad not backing down.

"...You pests. Someday your precious little Human Titan isn't going to be around to back you up." He said and tossed the bag of coins towards the confused merchant. Only for Hitch's hand to fly up and catch it mid-air.

"Well would you look at this? I'd say this is a good amount to pay off your fine for even attempting to buy smuggled goods." Hitch said, bouncing the bag, before looking at them. "Oh...and I'd not complain about this. After all, charges for smuggling tend to come at a _much greater cost_." She said, adding a hint of menace in the last bit of what she said.

"Wha-hey! If you're gonna take the supplies then I better be getting my money back!" He angrily snarled, even as Hitch just casually strutted off with the bag. "Where do you think you're going, get the he-" He started before Rolf walked by, picking up a crate of the heavy supplies with just one hand. Then the other. Then he casually tossed the crate on top of the first one. The merchant suddenly found himself speechless as the squad walked off.

"We can probably take this on the barge with us and get it to the quartermaster when we get our Maneuver gear." Marlowe added as they went to their barge.

"Heh, gotta say, I like having Rolf around. Did you see the look on those wimps' faces when we came by?" Hitch asked, chuckling some more as she bounced the bag. "Besides, looks like we got a little celebration for us when we finish up."

As the barge sailed to Stohess District and the squad was outfitted, their job began...especially Rolf's. He'd been much quieter during the exchange, letting everyone else handle it. He'd stood back with Annie, and couldn't help keeping an eye on her. In his mind he was telling himself that there was no way Annie was a traitor. He knew it deep in his heart, and every time he looked at her, he only saw someone who deep down cared about these people, and who everyone else cared about.

But as much as he liked to claim he had no doubts, that he'd believe her to the end...his mind didn't want to listen. He also had trusted Armin, their years in training together had been a lot of fun, and he'd gotten close to Armin. He reminded Rolf of a certain other wimpy, smart-in-the-head boy he knew, and if there was one thing he was, it was trustworthy.

"Hey come on Rolf, let's go!" He heard Marlowe say as he looked up. They'd been standing on the streets, waiting for the carriage to come, saluting as they did. Now that it passed they were to move up, and Rolf had been so deep in thought he'd missed it.

As he started to run forward, however, that's when he came across Annie, who was standing still. "Annie-girl? Why have you frozen like the cow's udder in the dead of night?" He asked and walked over.

"Rolf, perfect I'm glad to see you too. You could help us." Came Armin's voice. Rolf looked to see him standing in an alleyway, and it took all of Rolf's effort to look confused at why Armin was there. He wandered off and Annie and Rolf followed, Annie looking very surprised by this.

Once they'd gotten around the corner, Armin began to explain to the two the plan that Rolf had already been told as the cover. The two were needed to get them through the various checkpoints and out of Stohess in order to get Eren somewhere free. And the two would be of great help.

"Why of course Rolf will be willing to help out the hot-headed one in his our of need! And surely Annie will be of great help, yes she of a-heart-of-caring-yet-nettles?" Rolf asked, leaning over and looking down at her.

Annie, however, didn't move. She looked between the two and shook her head. "Why should I help? Rolf here is stupid enough to try, so you don't really need me. Why need two people?" She asked coldly.

"Well, because if there are two of you with us, it gives us more legitimacy. Gives us a better chance, especially since you're both rookies." Armin tried to argue.

"...Do I really look like that good of a person to you?" She asked simply, starting to turn around. As she did, Rolf immediately grabbed her shoulder.

"Now is not the time for your back and forth cold-as-a-stone attitude Annie! The churned butter is about to demonize, and the life of our friend is going to be quailed!" He said quickly, his hand slightly squeezing.

"Rolf, even if I had any idea what exactly you meant by that-"

"Annie, Rolf knows you. He sees deep in your heart and Rolf knows it even if you do not." He said slowly, looking down at her. "Rolf knows you are a good person."

After a minute of hearing that, she slowly unshouldered her musket and rested it on the side of the alley. "Fine, I'll help."

As Rolf set his own musket aside, he looked and noticed that Annie put on a silver ring on her index finger. Which was odd, Rolf had never seen her wear any kind of ring, let alone one like that.

* * *

After meeting up with Mikasa and Eren, the five of them wandered down a specific street, now one that was empty. Rolf kept walking straight and tried to not look off to the sides, knowing that there were soldiers hiding behind the buildings and ready to move in should things go wrong. But he had to keep walking straight and staring ahead, making sure to act like he didn't see anything odd about the surrounding area.

Soon they arrived at the tunnels, where they could go down. Rolf felt his heart begin to race as they got closer. They'd walk down these stairs, Annie would prove her innocence, and then they could go on. Rolf would stop thinking these terrible thoughts about someone he cares about, and he could help Eren in an actually productive way.

They arrived at the stairs and started to go down. Rolf kept his eyes down as they did, and they took a few steps, with Armin explaining the tunnels lead to the outer gates. As soon as he finished, Rolf nearly felt his heart stop when Eren stopped and looked back.

"Annie..." He said and Rolf had to look back. Sure enough...she was standing at the top. She hadn't budged at all. "What, are you afraid of the dark and tight spaces?" Eren asked, trying to make it a joke.

"So what? So what if I am?" She asked softly.

"Come now, Annie girl. When we did battle with those nincompoops in the alley, that was certainly small in the maneuverable area and the sun was blocked a bit. We can go." He said and cut her off, his desperation showing slightly.

"You don't know what it's like to be a normal girl, crippled with fear." She said, still cold and monotone like before, but without any sense of fear in her voice. Although...something was there. "Not a suicidal maniac, nor a freakish Human Titan like you." She said and Rolf felt his hands tighten. "Above ground I'll help you out, but I won't go underground, or the deal's off."

"Annie-girl, get down here!" Rolf suddenly shouted in desperation. "We need to both go, yes? Help out Eren-boy and his frothing butter at the licks of the tyrannical doers who would carve him like Nano at meal times!" Rolf said, shouting now, desperate to get her down there.

"Shut up, or someone will hear us!" Mikasa suddenly hissed.

"Oh I wouldn't be worried about that, Mikasa." Annie quipped. "For some reason, it seems that this place has been completely deserted." Her words pierced into the group like a knife. The secret was all but out now, and she had clearly noticed for a while now.

"That hurts me. It really does." Annie said, her voice now wavering slightly, her eyes in particular moving and locking on Rolf's. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you didn't trust me."

Rolf could sense Armin's hand shaking...holding the signal gun as well. Rolf shook his head. "Rolf always trusted you Annie! Rolf said so to anyone else, and Rolf always will!" His own voice started to shake he noticed, but he had to try.

"Yet here you are, down there and looking up to me with that look. And next to everyone else...eh Armin?" She questioned him.

"..Annie. What were you doing with Marco's gear?" Armin asked, all pretenses now gone. "I recognized it, I used to help with maintenance. It had all the same dents and marks on it. So...I know you used it." He said in an accusatory way.

Annie then looked back towards Rolf, before looking down and away. "Yes. I found it and took it."

"Then those two Titans we had taken capture...it was you that killed them!" He said louder, more concerned now.

"No one knows." She deflected. In Rolf's head this fed into his denial, the sheer battle in his mind being the only thing keeping him silent now...that, and the look in her eyes. One of betrayal...and regret. "But if you knew this back then, why wait until now?"

"Because even now it's hard!" Armin admitted, looking down. "I didn't want to believe it, so I stayed quite. But then, out in the field...the fact that you didn't kill me, then and there, that's the moment..." He said, his voice getting weaker and more strained.

The wind began to pick up, for a moment that was the only noise there was. Silence and tension rapidly growing as Annie chose her next words.

"Yes. We're here 'cause I let you live." She admitted, and Rolf felt his heart shatter. His knees began to shake as he stared up at her. Her voice began to waver even further. "Of course, I didn't imagine you'd end up cornering me like this...make allies with my own..." She paused and started to speak in an almost inaudible whisper. "Why...why didn't I do anything then?"

Eren started to beg her to confess to some kind of prank, that she could come down and prove her innocence and even Armin began to beg, but even the part inside of Rolf desperate to hold onto the illusion of her innocence kept him here, from joining him. His eyes stayed on her's as she kept looking away, refusing to make eye contact.

That's when he heard a heavy stomp and Mikasa stormed up, drawing her blade. Without thinking, Rolf immediately reached out and grabbed Mikasa by the shoulder, shoving her to the wall with a slight gasp, a small crack forming on the wall behind him from his own fist.

"Rolf, what are you-" Mikasa started, but even Rolf was shocked at what he had done. He stared at her, his own eyes wide, and unsure of what to do, but before anyone else could move, they heard a small sound coming from up the stairs. At first, it seemed like a quiet laugh and maybe that's what it was, but as it got louder it was clearly something else.

Sobbing.

Looking up, Rolf saw as she turned to them, her eyes glistening a bit as she tried to fight back the tears they'd produce. She eventually calmed down and spoke up.

"Rolf...I'm sorry that you had been mistaken about me. You'd always been a stupid idiot..." She said softly, then turned to Armin. "And it seems for now you've won your bet. But for cornering me here, like this, I have no choice but to gamble myself." She quickly raised her finger up to her mouth, and Armin panicked and reflexively raised his arm and fired the flare. It shot right above her, distracting Annie for a moment, which was all it'd taken. Running out from nearby hiding places were members of the Survey Corp disguised as citizens. They quickly grabbed ahold of her and even managed to get a gag around her mouth.

That's when Rolf and Mikasa both saw the ring. She flicked it and a sharp needle came from it, and they both knew what that meant. Mikasa quickly grabbed Armin and Eren, while Rolf started to charge up towards her.

"Annie, no!" Rolf started, but it was too late. With one solemn, final look at Rolf, she flicked her finger across the ring, drawing blood. The world seemed to slow down as Rolf was within inches of her, staring directly into her eyes as the lightning began to crash down towards them. It struck them all, sending everyone in the area flying, Rolf included into a building.

As she slowly stood up, Annie felt the muscle and skin of her Titan body form around her. She looked down at the now destroyed tunnel entrance, seeing the bodies and remains of her would-be captors. But most importantly, she saw her target. However as she began to reach down, suddenly something slammed into her face.

Stumbling back, she barely got a moment to process what happened when she felt a pain slash across her leg, then another strong blow slammed into her face. Looking around, she could barely see the moving form of someone with their maneuver gear. As it flew at her face, she was barely able to see that it was Rolf, who brought his fist back and slammed it into her face, sending her stumbling back against a building.

He kicked off her and swung around, multiple times digging his blades into her legs, arms, face, anywhere he could, not relenting and not slowing down. His fists were also used as he stared up into her and kept slamming them in, knocking her back.

After he had dealt another blow, he leaped down and fired his hooks deep into her skin and zoomed in close to her. But this time, Annie saw him coming and reached her hand out as he came, causing him to slam into her palm, where she held him.

That's when she stared down at him. He looked so different from anything she'd ever seen from him in all of their time together. His face was distorted in a furious scowl, his teeth showing as he brought his hands up and slammed them down on her hand, furiously slamming down, with no skill or depth, just pure anger. However, that's not all she saw on his face, she saw something else as well.

Tears.

A constant, pouring stream of tears poured down his face as he yelled and screamed at her, not in any words she could understand as he pummeled down fruitlessly in her grasp. She couldn't help but pause at the sight, Rolf not looking to see what expression she wore. She slowly began to close her hand, Rolf not seeing as he lashed out at the one he had once cared for.

Rolf thought back to all the times they'd spent together. How she'd helped him with combat, how he'd stood by her side as their one source of familiarity. Their fight against the MPs, her help in turning his squad from another lazy group to people he was proud to be friends with. How they had trusted each other, cared for each other. And now how all of that had been a lie.

With his anger so consumed and unfocused, and given how she held him, squeezing him would be trivial. She had done it before, she only needed to do it to him now. Her hands slowly closed, but then stopped. Her hand began to shake, as if she was struggling with it, as if she couldn't do it.

Finally she looked away and threw Rolf into a nearby building. She turned from the son of a shepherd, leaving him behind to do her duty.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Another long time, another post. Not sure if this is the longest hiatus yet (certainly not longer than my other fic...which I do plan to continue to any fans, by the way) for this fic, but it's a long one. I really, really hope it was worth it, as this is obviously an important bit, and my longest chapter yet. I had so much thought into the final reveal, probably mentally imagening it and playing it out for around a year and a half at least. But well, looking at my notes...this is when things start to get really interesting.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Rolf laid there slowly and still. He felt the cold feeling of stone pressing into his back, feeling many small pebbles raining down upon him. He could only faintly hear the sounds of loud crashes and smashes, feeling the tremors hit his back. However, all of those paled compared to the one feeling he felt above all else.

That of the hot tears stinging down his face.

He could feel his muscles and joints were only faintly sore. He deep down knew that there was no reason for him to not get up, but he still refused to. Out there his friends were in trouble, the people he swore to protect. And he wasn't moving, but why?

Because deep in him, past his udders, the son of a shepherd's heart lay as broken as the building he was in.

He could only swirl the memories he had of her. In training how he'd see her amusingly angry scowl whenever he told stories, or their shared comradery when they both joined the Military Police together. How she had his back against the Military Police who wanted to roughhouse, and especially that special night out with Mina.

But it'd all been for nothing. She'd just used him. She only used him and the rest of their squad for some goal he didn't know. Armin had been right, and so she had tried to kill some of their friends. Or rather _his_ friends.

So if she'd abused him, used him, tried to kill their supposed allies...why did he not move?

Rolf opened his eyes a bit. This wasn't his first war. He'd fought against those weird green aliens from another world, but those things...they'd never been his friends.

As Rolf sat up he felt his hands tighten.

 _No...no! Annie was not Rolf's friend!_ He snarled internally, throwing off several blocks of stone from him. _Rolf's honor has been damaged! Annie-girl has spat on Rolf's honor, Rolf's friends! Rolf will not stop until she is done, and when she suffers the duel of a thousand fish slaps, only then will Rolf stop!_

Feeling this determination, Rolf sat up and looked out of the hole he had created when Annie had thrown him in. Standing up and storming towards the hole, he looked out and saw how Annie was looking down at the building that they had tried to trap her in.

Grabbing his gear, Rolf noted how his blades had shattered. Dropping the remains, he pulled fresh blades free and glared at her.

"Annie-girl thought she could be a wolf, yes? Well Rolf will show the wolf-girl what happens when she crosses the Son of a Shepherd!" He shouted and squeezed his triggers, the hooks launching themselves into her back. As he shot at her, he shouted his warrior cry, causing Annie to look back quickly.

"Shleyaaaaheyaaaaa!" Rolf screamed as he crashed into her, swinging his head down into her's. Her head snapped back and she stumbled...back down on the building she'd intended to crush anyways.

As she sank into the stone work, she felt Rolf land on her. He glared down at her and held up his blade. "For dishonoring Rolf, Rolf shall challenge you to a duel! Rolf suggests you come quietly if you wish for Rolf to be merciful." He said sinisterly...but then realized she wasn't even looking at him, despite being on her face, she was looking down. That's when Rolf heard Mikasa.

"Eren!" Came her scream of concern as she flew towards them. Looking down, Rolf saw that right next to her hand, crushed under rubble, was Eren Jaeger. Rolf's eyes widened as he realized what happened. Swallowing he chuckled softly.

"Well...what a strange howdy do that-" He started before he saw Annie's arm began to move, her hand sliding to Eren. "Oh no you do not!"

Swinging his arm down, he slammed his fist into Annie's head, the point-blank range knocking her back a bit, as Mikasa zipped by, slashing her blade against Annie's face, digging into her nose and cheek. Annie suddenly shot herself up and forward, sending Rolf back, the young man firing his hooks at a nearby building.

As Annie stood up, she suddenly felt a stinging slice against her arm. Looking down, she saw Mikasa buzzing around her like a wasp. Annie swung her arm to try to catch Mikasa, but the girl was too fast, beautifully weaving around her arms to slice at her. Glaring, Annie swung her arms into a nearby building, sending a cloud of debris at her. Mikasa looked at all of the medium sized stones, but at her speed and with so many, she couldn't avoid them all.

Until she saw a blur of movement as her blue-haired companion had returned to the fight, smashing himself through the debris, not even batting an eye at it. "Eren-obsessed, go stop her from snatching the hot-headed Titan boy!" Rolf shouted as he took the hits, and Mikasa quickly fired past him through the clearing, before Rolf followed suit.

As Mikasa flew past and gave her another cut, Rolf aimed himself for the back of her head, shooting towards her. But as he did so, he saw her look back. She swung her arm up, catching Rolf on it. The boy grunted as he crashed into her awkwardly, spinning off of her and away, barely launching his hooks in time.

Resting on the side of a building, Rolf saw past Annie and saw more members of the Survey Corps speeding their way over. Rolf knew it'd be bad if they got involved, but then he had a flash.

He thought back to when Eren was trying to get the boulder, back in Trost. How he'd kept Eren pinned while he freaked out, giving Armin enough time to calm him. He smirked and had his plan.

Shooting his hooks out, he aimed them on either side of Annie's head, before screaming as he slammed into her quickly surprised face. Gunning them down, he pinned her head to the wall, gritting his teeth.

"Ah hah, thought you could escape the judgment of a thousand sea flesh, yes? Well Rolf tells you, Annie shall never escape Rolf's wra-" He got out before Annie quickly swung her head to the side and reached up, grabbing the chunks Rolf had embedded his hooks into before swinging the cords, as well as Rolf, away and into a building.

"...Annie's judgment...is only temporarily...delayed..." Rolf slowly let out with a groan as he shoved building from him.

* * *

Meanwhile, farther away and deeper in the city, Hitch, Marlowe, and the rest of Rolf's squad, part of the escort team, were staring wide eyes in the direction of the fight, hearing the loud sounds and having seen the strange lightning strike.

Their stupor was soon interrupted by Commander Nile Dawk who ordered all the escort teams to investigate. Marlowe turned to Rolf's team and, seeing that Rolf and Annie were missing, nodded. "Come on, let's go!"

As they began to fly ahead, Hitch spoke up. "Hey, so has anyone seen Annie? Or Rolf?" She asked.

"No, haven't seen either one! Not in a while in fact!" Boris said as he fired ahead, their team quickly passing the other escort teams.

"It doesn't matter, we have our orders and this is serious!" Marlowe said, before widening his eyes and sliding down his feet on the building. The rest of the team did as well, similarly looking stunned.

They saw a Titan. A Titan was within Wall Sina.

This fact was nearly impossible to comprehend to the unit. Even after all of Rolf's extra training and practice, none of them ever really expected to see a Titan in their lives.

"M-Marlowe, what is a Titan doing here?!" Hitch asked quickly, but Marlowe didn't answer. Looking around, he saw the other members of the escort team had also stopped, staring in fear and confusion. But as he looked around, Marlowe saw one person in particular, one who was wearing the uniform of the Survey Corps. He looked up briefly and Marlowe saw the disdain in his eyes. And he gritted his teeth.

"Well what are we doing? This is exactly what we trained for initially, and what Rolf had us to prepare for, right? Let's go!" He said and turned.

"Are you crazy? I never signed up to fight Titans!" Hitch said quickly, looking back at the unsure faces of the rest of her team.

"Fine. But when I see Rolf, I'm telling him that you were too afraid of the Titans, and that we need more training." Marlowe said turning away and firing his gear to zoom away.

"...I don't know about you, but Rolf is much scarier than any old Titan." Boris said and leaped off the building, zooming away as well. Soon after, the rest of the team quickly began to leave, until Hitch was all alone.

"...Uuuugh! Why did I have to get stuck with a squad of weirdos?!" She shouted before joining in after.

* * *

It wasn't long before Rolf soon got up. Shaking his head of the dust that coated him Rolf looked ahead to see what was happening. There he saw many of the Survey Corps having arrived and were trying to fight off Annie. Unfortunately, she was tearing through them. Some would be lucky of they got in a cut, most of the time she swatted them aside, leaving them just a small red smear on the ground or on a wall.

Rolf gritted his hands, realizing what was going on, that his friend Annie was in fact slaughtering these people. The chunk of rubble his hand was on was crushed into dust as he glared at her. But inside he realized something else, seeing how she fought, those same attacks she'd taught him so long ago. She was a Titan, a full Titan like Eren, but she was smart and in control.

And he didn't see Eren _anywhere_!

"Where is the sackty patootie is that knuckleheaded Titan-boy?!" Rolf exclaimed. That's when he saw several familiar shapes rush in to join the fight. Zipping past her left shoulder, he saw the gray hair of Boris, who screwed his body horizontally to avoid Annie swinging her arm up, while on the other side Marlowe shot towards her nape. That's when Rolf saw her hand cover it, and her hand was covered in some strange kind of crystal that shattered Marlowe's swords.

"Rolf, there you are!" He heard and looked up to see Hitch land in the hole next to him. "What is going on?! Why is there a Titan in Wall Sina?!" She looked around and then back to Rolf. "And where is Annie?"

"Annie girl turned the scallop and hiked the tree, shucking the cobs of the fellow Corpsmen, and-"

"Yeah yeah, okay whatever not the time for your jabbering!" Hitch interrupted, rubbing her forehead annoyed. "Okay, so what's the deal with this one? It looks different and is actually fighting."

"This one is like Eren-boy, turning into a smart Titan!" Rolf said as he looked to see her high kick and slice through several scouts, as well as smashing apart some of the buildings.

"...Great. Not only do we face a Titan, but we get their ace." Hitch groaned and felt her hands shake as she stared at it. That was when Annie turned and looked in another direction, having heard something. As Rolf looked, he heard the hiss of someone using their gear and looked up. He saw Jean making his way towards Annie's nape, and Rolf remembered Marlowe's attempt.

"Excuse me, lazy-as-a-log-Hitch-girl." Rolf said before running out of the hole and leaping onto Annie's shoulder. Sure enough her hand had crystallized and covered her nape. Smirking, Rolf grabbed it and with all of his strength yanked it back. "S-Sorry Annie-girl, but this time Rolf thought with his noodle!" He shouted and pulled the hand away, as Jean sped in, slashing at the nape.

There was a loud clang and the sound of something shattering, and as Rolf struggled to hold Annie's hand away, he looked up...and saw that her other hand had done the same thing and covered in time.

"...Ah. Rolf sees Rolf's mistake." He said before Annie stopped struggling with Rolf and quickly threw her hand in the other direction, sending Rolf flying. Rolf fired his hooks and was able to stop himself before he started to follow her as she chased Jean and Armin away.

"Hey Rolf, that brown-haired guy had a plan and we have to follow him!" Marlowe said as he spun off. Rolf saw that and gripping his triggers, he fired himself away and started to follow the others. As he followed, they quickly ran around a corner, and Rolf heard a loud crash and explosions coming from the two sides of her in the buildings.

When Rolf looked and the smoke cleared, he saw dozens of hooks and cables embedded into her skin, seemingly trapping her. She fell back, still trapped by the hooks, before several scouts threw a large, weighted net with spiked on top of her, seemingly pinning her.

"Wow...so they had a whole ambush ready?" Marlowe asked as Rolf swung past and landed at her feet, looking up.

"Well...now that Annie is captured, Rolf shall tear her out of that and enact the justice of his ancestors with a thousand-"However Rolf was interrupted as he saw Annie's leg swing out. Gritting his teeth, he charged towards her leg, planting his feet and raising his arms to try and stop her.

However her momentum and strength were just too much. She collided with him and Rolf was swept away, crying out as he flew through the air.

"We gotcha!" Rolf heard as Marlowe, Boris, and Hitch flew up to meet him, catching him and slowing him down enough for Rolf to fire out his own hooks. Rolf was panting as he looked down at Annie fleeing.

"She is...much stronger and quicker than Rolf assumed."

"How do you stop something like that?" Hitch asked, watching as she ran off. "If it's that fast, that smart, and too strong for even you Rolf..."

"Rolf's honor has been besmirched, so Rolf shall not stop until she faces Rolf's wrath! If Titan-boy Eren won't return, than Rolf will take her down, no matter what! Dog!" He said, gripping his hands, then leaped off, and sped his way away towards Annie.

As he zoomed there, he saw the various members of the military following as well. Annie spun around, sliding backwards and grabbing at a chunk of the nearest buildings to throw rubble towards everyone, before completing her spin and kept running. As everyone bobbed and weaved through it, Rolf just smashed through the rubble, barely feeling the debris smash into his skin.

Rolf soon caught up to her, and he brought his arm back, glaring at her. "Rolf remembers Annie's training for Rolf! And now Rolf won't be holding any of the mayo back!" He shouted, swinging his fist forward and smashing into Annie's head, causing her to stumble. She fell forward, but pushed her arms out to send her back up to her feet.

Suddenly it seemed like the whole world grew still as behind the chaos, a yellow beam of lightning began to build up, before smashing into the ground, causing a huge explosion. Even Rolf slammed his feet into a building, sending shingles flying as he came to a halt. Then came a familiar roar as Rolf grinned.

"About time Eren got his mind out of his cow maker!" Rolf said as a loud thundering was heard, and in a flash of speed, faster than anyone could expect, came the Titan form of Eren, screaming as he threw a powerful punch right at Annie, too fast for her to react. She flew back in the air and crashed into a building, toppling the whole thing.

As she got up, she saw Eren starting to charge again, before turning and running from the crazed Titan. While Rolf watched, he looked back to see his squad watching in surprise.

"Marlowe! Take everyone to keep on the flanks of the meat and keep it from spilling and spoiling!" Rolf said, as Marlowe gave a half-confused nod. But that was not a problem for Rolf, because he had bigger sea cucumbers to wear.

Zipping away, Rolf flew past the building Annie had slammed into, and looking down, he widened his eyes, horrified as he saw dozens of innocent people smashed and crushed. Looking up, he saw the destruction being carved by the two fighting it out. Rolf saw Eren's blind rage and something clicked. His honor needed to be satisfied, but if they all kept fighting like this, many more would die.

As he sped along, his gear allowing him to move faster than either Titan, Rolf saw them arrive at a clearing where Annie spun around, getting in that combat stance that Rolf was so used to. Eren got into his own stance, and Rolf flew over to land on Eren's shoulder. He saw Eren staring down at Annie, and Annie returning the look, before her eyes flashed to Rolf.

Rolf was panting, his uniform was cut and tattered from the debris and buildings he'd gone through, and he kept looking at Annie. The girl he'd trusted above all else, the one he'd stood by and who'd stood by him. The one causing all this pain and destruction.

And...here Eren was just staring at her, only his deep breaths growing more shallow and angered. He'd had enough.

"Eren-boy, why is it you keep stopping until the cud has curdled, now is the time to strike!" He shouted and kicked off Eren's shoulder, embedding his hooks into Annie's arm, pulling forward. Annie swung her fist at Rolf, but Rolf kicked off her hand and swung his fist at her head, knocking her back and stumbling. It was then that Eren charged in, wrapping his arms around her and swinging her body, tossing Annie through the air.

"You nincompoop! Is your head damaged Eren?!" Rolf shouted as he saw her body flying towards the inhabited buildings. Kicking off her head, Rolf leaped into the air, before swinging down and pummeling into her, sending her down to the ground. It still caused major damage, shattering nearby windows and throwing chunks of mortar into the air, but at least she only smashed into the street.

Then Eren smashed through a building to get at them.

"Eren!" Rolf screamed as Annie hopped up, colliding her feet into Eren's face. Leaping back, she formed crystals on her arm, swinging it at Rolf first, who just barely dodged it, the winds from the blow sending him flying, before colliding into Eren's arm, sliding it off.

Rolf spun back, landing on his back on a roof and smashing through it. Groaning, Rolf looked up and out of a window, ignoring the panicking family he was surrounded by. "Eren-boy, Rolf will institute a three shoe beating upon your head!" Rolf shouted and charged past the very confused and very scared family. He smashed out of the window and drew his blades as he aimed to slice against Annie's arm.

However, Annie just ignored the cut, one of many, as she looked down at her prize. She'd managed to pin Eren down into a building and was repeatedly bashing his head down with her armored hand. Soon Eren had stopped moving.

However this lapse in awareness came to bit her, as Rolf had built up speed and momentum, finally firing himself like a screaming foreign cannonball, his fist smashing into Annie's face and knocking her back and on her side. Rolf stopped and leaned on the side of a building.

"Annie!" He shouted, as he stared down. "You were Rolf's friend. For that, the beating of a fish will sting extra!" He threatened as she stared up at him. She then looked ahead and saw the wall. Kicking up to her feet, she swung a hand-full of rocks towards Rolf, making Rolf cross his arms over his face to cover it.

Once done, Rolf saw that she was making her way to the Wall.

"Oh ho, so Annie girl is a coward after all, yes? ROLF'S HONOR SHALL NOT BE ESCAPED!" Rolf shouted and sped up towards her, sliding slow to slice at her ankle, catching it and making Annie pause and have to jump to avoid slowing down.

It was from here that the two heard a loud crash, and suddenly from out of the buildings came Eren, burning and almost on fire and missing his legs and one arm, leaping like some kind of demonic frog to tackle into Annie from behind.

Annie had quickly swung her head back, her face in a visible panic as Rolf swung from Eren's head and swung his feet in, kicking into her face and splattering Titan blood out, a sickening crunch coming from her skull. However, her attack had dislodged Eren from her, and she made a beeline to the wall, coating her fingers in her crystals, digging into them and quickly starting to climb up.

"No Annie, Rolf has made himself clear!" Rolf shouted. "The beckoning of the bleating yak will not spoil on your udder!" With his intentions made perfectly clear, Rolf hooked up on the wall, swinging up. He caught her hand as he swing by and dislodged her hand. Stopping himself, he was on the wall between it and Annie's torso. Kicking off the wall, leaving a small crack in it, his head collided with Annie, dislodging her other hand and sending her off the wall.

Rolf landed on Annie's head as the two began to fall, and he looked down at her, his eyes slowly clouding up with a returning set of tears, seeing not a Titan's eyes, but Annie's eyes, eyes that now looked at Rolf with fear.

"Why Annie? Rolf doesn't care." He felt his throat tighten as he managed to let out the last words. "Rolf says goodbye, Annie."

The two crashed down on the ground in an explosion of dust. Eren began to roar as he smashed into he from behind, bringing his hand up and smashing it down so hard his own hand was torn off, Annie's Titan head was sent flying.

The blow also knocked Rolf back, crashing back into the wall. Gripping down, Rolf saw how Eren was brutally beating into her. And as he saw Eren lean down and viciously tear into her nape with his teeth, Rolf could see Annie's face, her real face. Her eyes were closed, her face tormented...and she had tears flowing. And Rolf knew deep down...he couldn't watch it.

They needed her alive, she could be a prisoner, and of course he needed to personally settle his wounded honor...but even then, despite all the death and damage, he couldn't just allow Eren to do this to her, not like this.

"Eren-boy, you've been too far out of control!" Rolf shouted and swung down. "Don't let Rolf make your shoe beating any greater than it must!" He shouted, not noticing how Eren had paused. Colliding his feet into Eren's head, the stunned Titan was launched backwards. As Rolf jumped free, he landed down at Annie's nape and looked down, seeing her.

Suddenly, the world went blue and white, Rolf being forced to cover his eyes. He felt a powerful wind blow against him, and looking down, he saw those same crystals starting to form, a ball was growing and it was encircling Annie. Rolf felt the winds from this try their hardest to blow him away, but Rolf yanked into her Titan-flesh.

" **NO!"** Rolf shouted. He glared and crawled up to her. "For too long, Rolf has been bamboozled, and Annie has swatted Rolf aside long enough!" He gritted his teeth and reached down past the growing crystals and with all his might he pulled up. The bits of flesh connecting her to her body snapped but suddenly Rolf was stopped. Looking down, he saw her leg was already covered in the crystal. And it was starting to grow up her leg. In a split second, Rolf held up his blade and swung it deep, sliding right through her leg, it smashing against the crystal. Yanking back, Rolf shouted and he kicked himself off Annie's body and backwards. He slammed back to his back, holding Annie close to him, the two sliding against the ground and away.

Panting, Rolf felt a stillness around him, as he looked up and saw Annie's Titan body began to steam and smoke, like that of a dead Titan. Looking down, Rolf saw that he was holding Annie, and her stump leg was starting to steam as well, slowly growing back.

She finally opened her eyes, looking up at Rolf holding her tightly and her already wet eyes began to glaze over as she realized that her plan had failed.

"I guess it doesn't matter now..." Annie said as Rolf looked down at her, his throat tightening up and unable to say a word, as Rolf got up, still holding onto her.

Looking up, Rolf saw the Survey Corps beginning to slide down, and among them was his squad. They quickly ran over, their eyes filled with amazement and disbelief. However they all stopped when they saw what Rolf had in his arms.

"Wha-is...is that Annie?" Hitch asked slowly. "What...what is she..."

"Look at her leg." Came the still voice of Boris, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I think it's obvious. Seems we didn't only have one Titan in our unit."

Rolf looked down at Annie, the girl sparing them a glance, still glazed over. Finally her leg finished growing, and she looked away.

"Rolf told you earlier, Hitch-girl." Rolf said, and looked down at Annie. "Annie is a threatening Titan."

"Here...we'll take it from here." Rolf heard as he looked up and saw one of the Survey Corps commanders, some woman wearing goggles, as he slowly handed her over. "We know some ways to keep her from repeating this little stunt."

Finally letting go, Rolf looked around. He saw that one short scout from back in Trost freeing Eren. The Survey Corp was beginning to swarm the area, bounding and gagging Annie before she could get the energy to create a Titan body again. She didn't resist at all.

It was then at that moment that Rolf felt a stinging pain and achiness surround his body, as he looked down at the many cuts and bruises he'd gotten. He felt his heart begin to hammer from all the energy he'd exerted, and his vision began to fade, before finally going black as the back of his head hit the stone ground.

* * *

Rolf eventually began to stir and he groaned, before his eyes slowly opened. He looked up and saw a wooden ceiling, and slowly he began to sit up. He looked around and saw he was in a bed in a simple white shirt and pants. Underneath it, he could feel his body wrapped in many bandages.

He was still a bit sore when he heard a familiar voice next to him.

"Rolf, you're awake!" Looking up, Rolf saw the big eyes of his friend Mina Carolina. Behind her were Marlowe, Hitch, Boris, and the rest of his squad, all looking relieved.

"Ah...Mina what is she with the eyes of a large lake doing here?" Rolf asked slowly as he sat up.

"Well I'd gotten done with my patrols early and was making my way into Stohess to meet up with you and Annie." She said, before looking down, as her voice wilted. "Then...I see all this. And I hear about Annie..."

"I still can't believe it!" Hitch said, crossing her arms. "This whole time, we were living with a traitor. One to all of humanity!"

"Hitch, calm down." Boris said and looked up. "I don't think anyone is taking it harder than Rolf."

As he said that, they all looked up and saw Rolf looking down at his bed.

"Rolf supposes it wasn't just a rotten turnip playing the hanky tanky in Rolf's stomach, yes?" Rolf said weakly, as Mina rested her hand on his, unsure of what to say.

"...Well, I suppose you should know. Your friend in the Survey Corp, and the whole organization really, were exonerated. They were given charge to watch her, 24/7. She's been heavily bound, although so far she's not saying a word." Marlowe spoke up to break the silence.

"And it was a close call, really." Hitch said. "There was some weird crystal left by her Titan, one that had her...old leg still in it. Nearly impossible to break. If you hadn't been so fast, she'd be stuck in it."

Rolf groaned and sat up, thinking about how close that'd been, nodding slowly. "Rolf...understands."

"Kind of a crappy way to be a hero, I bet." Hitch added somewhat bitterly, before looking out of the window. "Still...now I can't help it. If that one boy, Eren was a Titan, and now Annie is one...are there any others out there?"

"Rolf doesn't know." Rolf said but gritted his hands tightly. "But if there are, Rolf saw what Annie-girl did. How she squashed the grapes with no intention of making the wine, ending the egg before it hatched. And if others are out there like her, Rolf will stop them!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **So what's this? Two chapters in the same month? What madness is this?!**

 **Yes I just got a shot in the arm for inspiration, plus this is the chapter where things start to get real interesting, and I was excited to get here. Also the Attack on Titan soundtrack is AMAZING. I really wish I could somehow get it to play while this is read, specific tracks for certain parts, but ah well.**

 **In this series, there are various changes to canon that are either small or large. Small ones include Rolf saving Mina and Ian, and a few other ones like that. Here? Not including Rolf being here at all is the first of the major changes.**

 **Also yes, to those who asked for This'll be a Shell of a Day, both here and there, I will continue it, it just takes the right inspiration and mood for it.**


End file.
